Small battles to take second

Athletics

Ashford AC’s Jack Small finished second in the intermediate boys’ race at the Kent Schools AA Cross Country Championships on Saturday.

He was up against the county’s best young athletes, who descended on the Duke of York’s Royal Military School in Dover for the annual championships.

Representing the Canterbury & St Augustine’s district, Small completed the 6k course in a time of 18min 55sec to finish 18 seconds behind race winner Matthew Taylor (Tunbridge Wells district). Thomas Hutton, representing Ashford & Weald, finished seventh in 19.28.

In the senior girls’ section, Ashford & Weald’s Imogen Amos, a member of Invicta East Kent AC, finished third, covering the 4k distance in 14.46.

In the same race, Ciara Mackey (Ashford & Weald) was 24th in a time of 19.24.

Connie Druggan Cherry (Ashford Prep School) finished second in the Year 6 girls’ invitation race in 10.33. A place behind was Lily-Rose O’Brien, of Godinton Primary School, who came home in 10.49. Other Ashford & Weald district top 50 results: Year 7 girls: 27, Ruby Jude Hall, 11.04; 30, Elizabeth Duffy, 11.07; 33 Anne Orpin 11.12; 41 Abigail Weir, 11.26; 43 Ruby Oliver, 11.29; 44 Jessica Howard, 11.30.

Year 7 boys: 8, Thomas Green, 11.25; 30, Jake Abrahams, 12.15; 32, Rory Mayes, 12.22; 39, Alfie Wanstall, 12.33. Junior girls: 35. Jessica Wilton, 12.50

Junior boys: 32, Harry Palmer, 14.52; 34, Joshua O’Brien, 14.53; 45, Talibudin Monteiro-Sharratt, 15.33.

Intermediate girls: 7, Elisha Roger, 15.21; 44, Lauren Bickley, 18.56; 50, Anna Hinson, 19.51.

■ Ashford & District AC duo Christine Costiff and Gill O’Connor made the most of the crisp winter weather at the 42nd Tanners 20 event, near Leatherhead.

Following a frosty start just after 8am, the pair navigated their way between checkpoints in the Surrey countryside, running through mud and up hills, and climbing over stiles.

On the south coast, Andrew Noble (19min 30sec) finished eighth overall at the Littlehampton Prom parkrun.

A number of A&D runners represented the club at the weekly 5k around Victoria Park.

Trevor Kay, Carl Ireland, LindaJean Delport finished fourth, 11th and 14th respectively.

Rob Carpenter was 25th, followed by Don Dewar (23.22), Paul Brasington (23.49) and Stu Nunn (24.48).

Will Whittington (25.04) and Rod Kessack (25.08) crossed the finish line in quick succession, with John Fidge (26.25) and Terry Sellen (26.56) close behind. Next home for the club was Trevor Sparkes (28.09), with Mark Harrison (28.35) and Laura Segust (28.50) hot on his heels.

Rachel Jenkins (29.49) and Emma Jenkins (33.43) were next, while tail walkers Ann Fidge (58.57) and Julie Foster (58.58) completed the course together.

■ Saturday’s 5k at Victoria Park saw Ashford Striders’ Tamsin Ritchie completing her 100th home parkrun and Jeanette French celebrating a personal best time.

Chris Sardo was the first Strider to finish, in 21min 24sec, and he was followed by Jason Wearn (22.14) and Rob Wood (22.15).

Other times: Josh Whiten (23.56), Paul Dunning (24.14), Justin Burden (24.16), Gwen Protheroe (24.47), Alice Cook (25.31), Vicky Stevenson (26.46), Kath Atkinson (28.00), Justine Wearn (28.02), Shane Snowwolf (28.09), Mark Archer (29.06), Rachel Forrester (29.31), Becca Hurley (29.41), Brian Forrester (29.57), Jeannette French (30.15), Rebecca Somerford (30.15), Rachel Oliver (30.17), David Holland (32.26), Jason Brice (32.49), Max Bazzucchini (33.59), Leanne Clark (34.05), Hazel Forrester (34.08), Amelia Letteboer (34.44), Anna Harvey (35.00), Maria Chapman (35.34), Tamsin Ritchie (35.39), Simon HowardSmith (37.35) and Michelle Rowles (37.54).

Strider volunteers were Toyah Bicker, Peter Broom, Pam Hunt, Paul McDonnell, Shane Snowwolf and Lee Standen.

Adrian Hurley was on the road at the weekend, completing the Folkestone parkrun in 27.59. Alison Waters (24.48) achieved a personal best at the Malling parkrun and Jacob Henwood completed Pegwell Bay in 18.55.

In the Great Run Local, completing the 5k were Leigh Freeman (31.23), Kirsty Theobald (42.20), Clare Maxlow (42.24) and Sarahjane Knight (42.27). Running the 2k were Emma Jane Bowden (15.43), Maria Beba (16.54) and Jacob Henwood (12.30).