Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Harriers pair both taste victory in riverside race
Athletics
Simon Jones and Nicola Charlton both enjoyed individual wins as Canterbury Harriers dominated the fifth edition of the Canterbury Riverside 10k at the weekend.
The race attracted a record entry of more than 400 athletes and Jones took advantage of the fast and flat course to win in a course record of 34 minutes 51 seconds.
Lee Mcmeekin (36.32) was a little way back in second with third spot on the podium taken by another Canterbury Harrier, Alex Horsley, who clocked 37.39.
With Paul Elderton (42.04) 16th, Harriers carried off the team prize and they also had the leading male vet-60 in Thomas Hooley, who ran 43.42.
Further success came Harriers’ way in the women’s race as Charlton crossed the line in 42.08 to triumph.
Second spot was taken by Velocity Multisport’s Louise Stevens in 43.51 with the final podium spot filled by Emily Chambers, of Folkestone RC, in 45.38.
John and Jennifer Kearns had the fastest combined time to take the couple’s prize .
The course for the race followed the River Stour all the way from Chartham to Toddlers Cove and back , using the purpose-made pathway which provides an excellent running surface .
Teenage Canterbury multievent athlete Douglas Noel leapt into the UK’S top- 10 after an impressive display at the England & Wales Indoor Pentathlon Championships, at Sheffield.
The English Institute of Sport hosted the event, where more than 30 athletes competed over seven events over two days.
They contested the 60m sprint, long jump, shot put and high jump on day one, with the 60m hurdles, pole vault and 1,000m to follow the next day.
Despite picking up a heel injury in the opening event, St Edmund’s School pupil Noel, a member of Invicta East Kent AC, managed to record a personal best in each discipline.
His overall total of more than 4,100 points was enough to take him up to fifth in England and 10th in the UK.