Menges takes a first league win
Cross-Country
Medway & Maidstone fought hard with Tonbridge to take second place team honours during the first senior men’s 10k race of the Kent Cross-Country League season.
The league is contested by the top distance runners in the county and the first race of the campaign was held at Wilmington on Saturday.
The 300 runners and 21 teams taking part was the highest recorded for many years.
Tewelde Menges was in fine form and claimed his first league victory in 31min37sec as M&M triumphed in the four-toscore category.
Menges was closely followed by Jamie Bryant of Tonbridge and Robert Meyer (32.21), another M&M runner recording his highest race position.
Tom Collins (33.33, 12th) and Ben Tyler (33.42, 14th) made up the four-to-score team.
M&M finished third in the 12-to score team event, completed by Noel Sutton (34.29, 24th), Mark Wilkins (34.33, 27th), Andrejs Safars (36.12, 49th), Lee McMeekin (36.15, 50th), Adam Featherstone (37.39, 71st), Marley Godden (37.42, 72nd), Justin Lane (37.44, 73rd) and Bob Fursey (40.27, 140th).
Further support was provided by Darren Wright (40.36, 144th), Alun Rogers (40.47, 151st) and Stephen McGlynn (41.23, 163rd).
The under-17 men’s team are looking to improve on their overall place of fifth last year.
They finished fourth on Saturday, Ben Hughes leading the team with an impressive sixth place.
The under-15 boys finished second behind Tonbridge AC.
Hamish Reilly was runner-up in 13.27, just 17 seconds behind the winner, with great support from Dan McGlynn (14.26, 11th) and Luke Stringer (14.27, 12th).
There was a change of scenery for race walker Jack Childs, who was close behind in 14.47 (20th), followed by Ethan Gear (15.28, 28th), George Dadd (15.32, 29th) and Finn Rodgers (17.24, 55th).
The under-13 boys finished in third place behind Blackheath & Bromley Harriers and Invicta East Kent.
Alistair Shelley ran a strong second lap on his debut to finish fourth in 11.32, just 16 seconds behind the winner. Shelley was supported by Kelechi Ryan (12.21, 19th) and Callum Featherstone (12.21, 20th).
They ran home ahead of Kaz Gogol (12.22, 21st), Hayden Gear (12.25, 23rd), Jack Morris (13.12, 54th), Elliot Chamberlain (13.29, 62nd), Jacob Graham (13.31, 63rd), Cameron Featherstone (13.40, 67th), Toby Hughes (13.47, 69th), Adam Childs (15.00, 82nd) and Lewis Thackeray (18.14, 94th). Kyle Buckley was forced to pull out with an injury.
The senior ladies made a strong start to their season.
Liz Weeks (20.38) was sixth followed by Stephanie Hearn (21.17, 13th), Lola Wheeler (21.36, 18th), Jenny Fowler (22.08, 24th), Kerrie Clarke (22.10, 26th), Taryne McPherson (23.15, 44th), Bernadette Harrop (24.05, 65th), Mo Fazakerley (24.46, 78th), Claire Wilkins (25.30, 89th) and Kat Ford (31.44, 151st).
After the first meeting, M&M ladies are fourth in the three-toscore and second in six-to-score.
In the under-20s, Emily Hale (15.17) finished in third place and in the under-17s, Abigail Jordan (14.58) finished in 19th place.
Eleven girls competed for the under-13s and were led home by Anna Palmer (10.20) in 15th.
She was followed by Abigail Royden (10.27, 17th), Sarah Mitchell in (10.36, 19th), Kate Lazarides (10.40, 21st), Lily Crossley (11.02, 26th) Fern Curran (11.05, 28th), Emma Ryan (11.12, 30th), Grace O’Connell (11.44, 51st), Abbe Clark (12.03, 56th), Ruby Towler (12.17, 61st) and Ciara Harrop (12.35, 65th).
The under-13 girls finished fourth in the team event.
In the under-15s, Charlotte Young (12.17) was sixth, ahead of Rachel Anderson (13.46, 32nd) and Erin Hughes (13.57, 36th).
Millie Morris (14.26) was 42nd with Kerry Dewberry (14.58) 46th.