Category: News

U20 Harvey Fordham from Paddock Wood AC competing as team ATIP won his high jump in the first YDL match of the season, hosted by Tonbridge AC on Sunday, with a PB jump of 1.95m to win the event, he just missed out on 2m. Alex Gray also claimed a 1^st place in the triple jump 13.25m just under his PB but was his first competition of the season. Both athletes are on the EA talent program. They also ran in the combined 4x 100m relay with two athletes from Invicta. Alex Stone throwing an 800g javelin having moved up to an U20 this year came 3^rd with 37.63m. He jumped 5.20m in the long jump and came 2^nd in the discus 29.67 throwing this weight for the first time. First year U17 Molly Rein ran a PB in the 200m 30.07s, she equalled her PB in a non-scoring 100m 14.2s and jumped 8.22m in the triple jump finishing 4^th. In the same age group Izzy Rayner came 2^nd in the B javelin 20.56m Twin sister Jess did the non-scoring shot 6.17m both girls ran the 4 x100m relay and the 4 x 300m relay.

Also on Sunday Paddock Wood AC had another winner U23 Charles George won the Worthing 10K race in 33.56m.While in Chatham Becky Morrish was 1st lady home in their 10K 40.07m

A pair of O’Reilly’s took part in the Sevenoaks Triathlon, husband and wife team, Shannon and Jacqui.

Jacqui managed 263rd overall (47th female and 10th in her age category) in a time of 1hr 45m 28s (despite almost no training,) for the 400m swim, 25km bike, and 5km run. Her run of 24m 18s was the fastest time of the day in her F30-39 category.

Shannon was 291st overall in a time of 1hr 49m 53s, good enough for 46th in his age category.

Paddock Wood AC athletes were at the Tonbridge AC Open Easter meeting on Bank Holiday Monday.

With event numbers restricted only a handful were able to get entry into some of the field events. W40 Elizabeth Bignelll in her first hammer competition of the season threw 25.85m her best throw for several years. M70 David Perman in the same competition threw a PB 18.95m. M60 Mark Woods ran 19.30s in the 150m a faster time than he ran at the same meeting in 2019. The Rein family were out in force with U13 Max in his first U13 competition running the 150 in 2453s. Sister Megan also moving up an age group to U15 ran the same distance 22.25s a PB and Molly in her first U17 competition ran 22.04s. Molly also did the triple jump 8.38m. Another in his first year of a new age group U15 Alfred Everitt ran the 300m 46.32 and the 600m 1m 46.72s a PB. Visually impaired U11 Beth Antoun who had her first competition last weekend was in action again in the 75m she ran 14.95 unfortunately she caught her foot on the inside running rail and stumbled but still manged to finish.

Elsewhere on Good Friday Paddock Wood AC was represented at the Folkestone 10 mile race. First back for the club in 35^th place was Harry Young 1:04:13, Mike Walter 1:06:25, Dave Lawrence 1:07:37. Melissa Ferns 1:31:13 and Noel Davey 1:42:41

Also on Good Friday Charles George ran in Battersea Park for the Comeback 5000 running the 5K track event in 16m.29s.

Slightly further afield Ian Sutherland ran the Boston Marathon 3:28:30

The club has again entered the Round Norfolk Relay. Our entry has been accepted by the race organisers. This year the race falls over the weekend of the 17^th-18^th September. It will be our 23^rd year at the event.

For the uninitiated, the Round Norfolk Relay is a 17-stage race (requiring 17 runners) covering a total of 198.20 miles. The race attracts over 60 clubs from around the country. The stages vary in distance from 5.49 miles up to 19.67 miles and are run around the clock. In 2021, the last time we completed in the race, we managed to complete the course in a very respectable 22 hours, 43 minutes, and 1 second (average 6 min. 53 seconds per mile).

Ideally, we would again like to enter the ‘Club’ Category which requires at least 5 females and, without condition to gender, 6 masters (men over 40 and women over 35 on race day).

As always, we would like to field the strongest team possible, and the target will be to beat our own club record of 21hours 18minutes and 5 seconds. Therefore, if you are interested in either running or helping (i.e. with driving the mini-bus, driving support vehicles, cycling alongside the runners etc) please let me know.

This race really is a unique experience for the runners and helpers involved and it is quite aptly billed as ‘the ultimate cub challenge’.  Full race details can be found on the following website:  www.roundnorfolkrelay.com

If you are interested in running or helping out, please email me on jamesridger1979@btinternet.com

Thanks

James Ridger

Paddock Wood AC athletes were at various events over the weekend. Some were at the first meeting of the season at Gillingham for the Medway and Maidstone Open. Alfred Everitt in his first competition as an U15 competed in the javelin throwing a 600g implement for the first time he threw 24.66m ran the 1500m 5m.11.56s also the 400m 66.02s. Eight year old Beth Antoun competing for the first time on the track ran in the U11 run, jump and throw. Beth who is partially sighted ran in the 75m 14.03s, jumped 1.41m in the long jump and putt the shot, for which we have no results. M70 David Perman, putt a PB in the shot 5.22m and threw the discus 13.36m.

Two athletes competed in the Brighton marathon Mat Botten 3:36:35 and Darren Hendley 4:29:13. Becky Morrish chose to do the 10K and was 11th lady home 37:44. Further afield Georgios Antikatzidis   ran the Rhodes 10K race 1:16:00.The previous weekend U23 Kimberley Garcia competed in the Winchester AC season opener running in the 100m 13.5s and the 200m 28.39s.

Two athletes from Paddock Wood AC travelled to Lee valley for the Southern Counties Masters Championships on Saturday. There should have been three but unfortunately Elizabeth Bignell broke down on the M25 so didn’t make the meeting. M55 Trevor Crysell claimed 3 medals and 3 season’s bests. He won gold in the triple Jump 8.78m, another gold in the long jump and a bronze in his 200m 30.61s. M60 Mark Woofs won a gold medal in the 60m 8.43s and gold in his 200m 27.10s.