Triathlete Kenny in league of her own

VICTORIA KENNY is heading to the ETU European Sprint Distance Championships in Austria next year. The Tri Spirit Team athlete produced a stunning performance at the British Triathlon Age Group Qualifier at the Grendon Triathlon in Northamptonshire. She was joined by team-mate Julia Bradford at the event, which comprised a 750m swim, a 20km bike ride and a 5km run. Kenny, who will be representing Great Britain for the first time at the ETU European Championships next month in Turkey, was second out of the water and led on the bike for much of the ride. She was overtaken in the latter stages of the run but still placed first in her age group in a time of 1:14.37. She finished second overall in a field of 150 women. Bradford also performed well, placing ninth in her age group against top opposition. She had a good swim, exiting the water in 15.16, followed by a fast bike in 43.37 and a solid run saw her complete the course in 1:26.34. Tri Spirit Team also enjoyed success in mountain biking last weekend. Ed Fraser won the Masters category at the Whipstakes MTB event in a time of 1:39.44 and Emma Cutler clocked 2:02.37 to finish second in the Expert event. Meanwhile, Dave Wheeler finished seventh in his first half-iron distance event at the Marshman in Lydd. Despite suffering a puncture on the bike and then struggling with cramp on the run, he clocked a respectable time of 5:02.21.

FORMER world youth champion Jodie Williams ran a season’s best in the 100m at Ashford’s Julie Rose Stadium last week. Injury denied 19-year-old Williams a spot on the Great Britain team at last summer’s Olympic Games in London. However, she showed something approaching her best form when she clocked 11.58 seconds in the Ashford Leisure Trust outdoor meeting. Several local athletes took the opportunity to shine at the event. Bradley Sloane (Ashford AC) won the men’s 1500m in a personal best time of 5.16.40. In the new two-lap steeplechase race, Branden Law won in 2.59.08 ahead of fellow Folkestone Running Club member Lucy Weekes, who clocked 3.13.95. Gregg Aitkin and Steve Sopp, who have both been training as part of the Ashford Leisure Trust’s weekly wheelchair sessions, produced personal-best performances in the 100m and 400m. Afterwards, Williams tweeted that she would “definitely be coming back” and Ashford Leisure Trust’s Peter Le Rossignol said: “The event was a great success. I am pleased to see us continuing to attract a number of high profile athletes to compete at such a great athletics facility.” The next event takes place on June 12.