Marathon man does it again
IT should come as no surprise that Dan Jones finished Team Bath AC’S leading runner in this year’s London Marathon – as he has done so often before.
Jones clocked a time of 2hrs 36mins 55secs for the race on Sunday, which was only six minutes 38 seconds off the personal best he ran in the same event five years ago.
But what is remarkable is Jones’ record in London since he first made his marathon debut in the capital in 2013.
On that occasion, Jones finished in a time of 2:42.55, which was a respectable first stab at the challenge.
Since then he has run the event eight more times and only once has he failed to finish inside 2hrs 40mins – a rogue 2:41.08 in 2018 – while all his other times have fallen within his lifetime best and 2:37.46 in 2019.
That is a record of which Jones can justifiably feel very proud and it also worth nothing that in hindsight 2017 was his ‘golden’ year as he also won the gruelling Snowdonia marathon in a cracking time of 2:36.54.
Another Team Bath runner to catch the eye on Sunday was Tom Hutchison, inset.
The 69-year-old completed the course in an excellent time of 3:26.27, which is his fastest time of the year, eclipsing the 3:30.34 from Vienna in April.
“At the age of 69 Tom is still holding back the years and his splits were near perfect,” said head endurance coach Paul King.
The performance gave Hutchison 16th in the M65 category – and plenty of incentive to keep going when he moves up into the M70 age group next year!
It is also worth noting that when Hutchison last ran London five years ago he finished in 3:19.24. Elsewhere Alex Parsons completed his London debut in a time of 2:41:43, while also finishing inside three hours were Tom Dudden (2:50:15) and Ben Holding (2:56:42).
The only club woman to take part was Libbie Herbert, who marked her London debut with a time of 4:36:38.
Others: Carl Tucker 3:10:32; Barry Awan 3:11:34; Matt Lay 3:20:48; Justin Maelzer (London debut) 4:18:10; Julian Moore (TBAC newcomer) 5:05:29.
Dylan Stoneman seamlessly moved from the track to the road to make a solid debut over the half marathon distance in the Wizz Air Cardiff event on Sunday.
Stoneman showed he is a strong athlete by his exploits in the steeplechase during the summer, with a highlight being his silver medal in the
inter boys’ 1500m event at the English Schools’ Championships.
The road is an entirely different challenge but a debut time of 1hr 16mins 24secs underlines Stoneman’s immense talent as he finished leading Team Bath runner.
Others: Paul Carter 1:36:52; Jay Ruddock 1:39:14; Nigel Osborne 1:53:12.
The rearranged final Avon League match – postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II – saw a low turnout at Yate with many athletes having ended their season and others lured away by other competing school events.
Team Bath’s under 15 boys’ high jump squad made their presence felt with Otis Poole and Jamie Semple sharing top place with 1.60m and Thomas White finishing equal second on 1.50m.
Gertie Blewitt impressed with a double victory in the under 15 girls’ 200m (28.2secs) and 800m (2:29.1)
In the senior women’s events, Eleni
Francis finished her season with a win in the long jump and second in the 100m.
Emmanuel Daso caught the eye in the under 13 boys with a hat-trick of wins in the 75m sprint, 200m and high jump, an event in which he will end the season second in the South West Rankings on 1.51m.
Peter Krunity-salak and Tom Blackburn confirmed their emergence as two of the finest young high jumpers in the South West with a one-two in the under 17 men’s event, and Dylan Stoneman ended his track season with a fitting win in the 1500m.
U13 girls – 75: 7 Freya Waker 12.2; 200: 6 Waker 33.8; LJ: 3 Waker 3.38m.
U15 girls – 100: 4 Naomi Ngwompo 15.4; 200: 1 Gertie Blewitt 28.2; 800: 1 Blewitt 2:29.1; SP: 2 Ngwompo 8.85.
U17 women – 100: 7 Ciara Galvin 15.4; LJ: 4 Galvin 4.29; SP: 1 Bea Richens 5.82m.
Senior women – 100: 2 Eleni Francis 13.9; LJ: 1 Francis 5.16m U13 boys – 75: 1 Emmanuel Daso 10.0; 2 James Morgan 10.8; 200: 1 Daso 26.4; 2 Morgan 28.6; 1200: 2 Rory Osborne 4:14.0; HJ: 1 Daso 1.40m; Jav: 3 Osborne 25.02m.
U15 boys – 100: 4 Oliver Mowat 13.7; 300: 2 Will Semple 43.4; 300: 4 Thomas White 44.2; 1500: 1 Stanley Wyatt 4:39.6; 2 White 5:03.7; HJ: 1= Otis Poole & Jamie Semple 1.60; 2= Thomas White 1.50m.
U17 men – 1500: 1 Dylan Stoneman 4:24.0; 2 Jasper Cox 4:34.5; HJ: Peter Krunity-salako 1.85; 2 Tom Blackburn 1.80.
Senior men – 100: 1 Imam Qazi 13.4; HJ: 2 Dominic Murray 1.85m: Hammer: 1 Felix Vaughan 38.57.