County stage brings out the best in M&M
There were some outstanding performances from Medway and Maidstone athletes at last weekend’s Kent County Track & Field Championships.
In the senior men’s competition at Norman Park, Teweldebrhan Menges was almost a minute in front of the second-placed runner in the 5,000m race with his time of 14min38.07sec.
Jamie Walsh won gold in the 1,500m with a run of 4.07.94 and took silver in the 800m (1.59.24). Tom Collins won silver in the 2,000m steeplechase (6.46.48) while Nathan Isaac collected 100m bronze (10.90).
For the senior women Lucy Hope won silver in the 200m (25.25) and there was bronze for Abigail Walters (25.85). Hope then won the 400m in 58.10, with Erin Hughes taking bronze (1.00.79).
In the 1,500m, Taryne McPherson
won silver (5.25.36) and in the 5,000m Emily Hale landed gold (20.44.30) with Vanessa Vander (22.46.85) taking silver. Vanessa Hannam was a silver medalist in the discus with a throw of 35.35m.
In the under-17 women’s events there was a double success for Amber Matthews, winning in both the 800m (2.15.10) and 1,500m (4.48.59). Oluwadamitan Showemimo crossed the line first in the 100m (12.37) with Azaria Makinde taking bronze (12.62). Iris Crossley was third in the 800m (2.22.63) and 1,500m (4.50.01).
Dylan Purton won the under20 men’s 400m gold (48.69) and repeated the feat in the 200m (21.67).
Silver medals were claimed by Jasper Emmanuel (100m, 11.13) and Haydon Gear (1,500m, 4.06.02) while in the 800m, brothers Cameron and Callum Featherstone won silver and bronze in 1.59.50 and 2.00.18. In the under-17 men’s age group Cheyne West won bronze in the 100m hurdles (14.66), silver in the 200m (22.48) and 400m hurdles (54.70) and a second-place ranking in the country for the long hurdles. Daniel Culver won bronze in the high jump (1.55) and discus (34.54). Jake Foster took bronze in the triple jump (9.52) and 400m hurdles (1.09.15). It was gold, silver and bronze in the 800m for Franklin Shepherd (1.57.60), Riley Maisey (1.58.69) and Henry Gibson (2.02.61).
Lucas Cameron won silver over 300m (38.86) in the under15s. Freddie Gibson came second in the 1,500m (4.25.93) and picked up a bronze medal in the 800m (2.07.66).
Under-20 women’s runner Abigail Royden finished third in the 1,500m (4.44.46) and Lily Crossley clinched silver in the 1,500m steeplechase (5.51.11). In the under-15 girls, Rose Crossley won silver in the 1,500m (4.48.77) as did Grace Durrant in the 200m (26.04).
Mia Blaber took bronze in the long jump (4.50) and javelin (23.12) while Tilly Ryan claimed silver in the shot (7.97) and discus (17.08).