Nash raises the bar to clinch county discus success

Athletics

Gypsy Nash clinched the Kent under-13 discus title after a personal-best throw.

The Medway & Maidstone AC youngster threw a distance of 31.32m during the under-13 Kent Championship in Erith and was also second in the hammer event (34.35).

M&M’s Toby Hughes was another county champion, winning the javelin with 35.54. He also finished fifth in the shot (8.41).

Kieran Isaac became Kent champion in the shot with 9.68. He also finished second in the 200m in a personal-best 26.52 and fourth in the 100m (12.99).

Daniel Hardy just missed qualifying for the 100m final in a PB 13.82. Mitchell Kerr ran a PB 15.12.

In the 1,500m, contested over two races, Alistair Shelly ran a massive PB of 4min55.16sec to take third overall. Hayden Gear (PB 5.13.17) finished 10th.

Cameron Featherstone made the final of the 800m in 2.27.73, where he finished fifth. Callum Featherstone also contested the 800m (2.33.47), to finish fourth in his heat and ran a PB in the 1,500m in 5.20.37.

In the long jump, Ollie Rodwell jumped 3.91 for 10th.

Mitchell Kerr threw 10.30 in the discus to finish 14th and Adam Childs 9.36 to finish 15th. In the shot, Samuel McCarthy finished seventh with 6.66.

In the 2,000m walk, Katie Stringer finished in 11.23.05 to take second place.

Michelle Yalekhue qualified for both the 75m and 100m finals, finishing eighth (10.85) and fifth (21.20).

Abigail Royden ran a PB 2.37.12 to qualify for the 800m, finishing sixth in the final, and also contested the 1,200m running a PB 4.13.51 for sixth.

Sarah Mitchell also ran the 800m, finishing fourth in her heat with a PB 2.39.25 and in the 1,200m was seventh (4.17.36). Ciara Harrop finished sixth in her 800m heat (3.20.28).

At the under-15 Kent Pentathlon Championship, Max Eldridge took fourth.

He finished with 2,057 points in the combined championship, with PBs in the 80m hurdles (13.30), shot (8.24) and high jump (1.45).

Michael Uzozie took fifth with PBs in the 80m hurdles (13.91). Finn Rogers was ninth and bagged a best in the shot (5.37) and hurdles (16.57).

Maya Marriner finished fifth with PBs in the hurdles (12.99) and shot (7.30), while Gbemi Kasumu was sixth, achieving PBs in the hurdles (13.49), shot (5.62) and long jump (3.88).

For the masters, Neill Wright was second in the M40 5,000m event with a PB of 16.49.47.

There was also a bronze and PB for Alun Rodgers in the M50 5,000m (19.19.23) and a silver in the 1,500m (5.21.17).

Fiona Argent (M60) won all her events – the 200m (39.00), 300m hurdles (1.21.52), shot (6.09) and discus (12.54).

There was also a first for Rob Sibley (M60) in the 100m hurdles with a PB 17.50.

George Blake and Joseph Thurgood were both selected for Kent to compete in the ESAA English Schools Combined Events Championships in Boston, Lincolnshire.

They took 14th (5,392 points) and 19th (4,999 points) places, helping Kent to a team win.

Jack Childs also took second in the 3,000m walk, in 17.06.54.

Bob Fursey (v50) completed the Loch Ness Marathon in 3hr29min47sec.

A record 397 runners took part as Larkfield AC ran a ‘Mob Match’ against other local clubs during their parkrun event.

Two first-time visitors in the leading places saw Nathan Chapman first in 17.08 and Craig Chapman second in 17.21. James Gibson ran 17.36 to take third.

Emily Hutchinson, the leader three weeks ago, was first lady again with a best of 19.01. Firsttime visitor Laura Addie came second in 19.27 and Nicola Susans was third in 20.26.

Graham Saker claimed the age-graded top position with 18.01 for fourth overall and a score of 86.03%.

Maidstone’s parkrun saw Tom Carpenter win in 17.29.

Daniel St Martin (Maidstone Harriers) was next in 18.34 with Mark Smallwood (18.36) third.

Maidstone Harriers’ Charlotte Bates won with a time of 21.00.

Tracey Dennis took second in 23.32 with Heather Ingram (23.33, PB) third.

The best age-graded performance went to Nick Blake, a first-time visitor from Oswestry Olympians, who finished 17th overall in 20.54 for a score of 76.08%.

Wendy Spice completed her 250th parkrun in a best of 32.19 – the first Maidstone parkrunner to achieve this milestone.