Medway and Maidstone AC put in another strong performance at the Kent League Cross-country League race at Footscray Meadows, Bexley on Saturday 24th November. Tonbridge AC took the team honours on the day, with M&M taking second places in both the 4-to-score and 12-to score team competition. With 21 teams competing and 221 runners, the club once again showed its strength with 12 runners in the first 50. The individual winner on the day was Ben Cole of Tonbridge, closely followed by team mate Jamie Bryant and in 3rd place Medway & Maidstone’s Tewelde Menges for his best race of the season. Menges was followed by Tom Collins (12th), Noel Sutton (16th – a superb run for as an M45) and closing the 4-to-score team, in his best Kent League finish by far, Marley Godden (18th). Completing the club’s 12-to-score positions were Mark Wilkins (20th), Chris Fullerton (21st), Jack Crossley (24th), Richard Tomlinson (25th and 1st M50), Jacques Cunningham-Marsh (28th), Daniel St Martin (41st), Barry Royden (47th) and Neill Wright (50th). Further good packing was provided by Chris Rampling (60th), Gareth Williams (74th), Justin Lane (80th), Adam Featherstone (81st), Alun Rodgers (104th), Sean Rodwell (109th) and Bob Fursey (131st). The final race in the league for the men and women is on 9th February 2019, venue still to be agreed. The next race for the club’s Masters is the Kent Cross-country Championships at Dartford next week-end. The next race for all seniors is the South of The Thames Senior Championships at Beckenham on the 15th December.
The U17 men continued their consistent level of performance with the team finishing 3rd on the day and 4th overall in the final league standing. Once again Ben Hughes led the way for the team with his best performance of the season with an individual placing of 7th. Luke Stringer finished his league season with a season best placing of 10th, and Alex Donnelly completed the scoring team with an individual placing of 18th, matching his best performance from the last meeting. Other athletes placing for the club; George Wallace 21st, Jude Gordon 22nd, Luke Fowle 25th, Finlay MacDonald 32nd & Ismael Alonso 39th.
The U20 men were once again represented by the duo of Quinn Austin & Lorcan Rodgers. Both athletes finished the league season with their best individual placings of 10th & 12th respectively.
The U15 boys finished 5th overall, they were led home by Ethan Gear (7th) in 14:03 followed by Cameron Featherstone (27th) in 15:22 and Finn Rodgers (41st) in 16:28 to close the team, there was further good packing from Kelechi Ryan (42nd) in 16:30 and Callum Featherstone (44th) in 16:39.The U15 boys finished 6th overall, just 5 points behind the 3rd placed team.
The U13 boys finished first on the day with Alistair Shelley (3rd) in 10:55 (and 3rd overall) followed by Oliver Brownridge (5th) in 11:13 and Hayden Gear (6th) in 11:15 to close the team, these were followed home by Kaz Gogol (15th) in 11:42, Jacob Graham (25th) in 12:14, Jay Trimmer (29th) in 12:20, Ethan Rollings (31st) in 12:25, Elliot Chamberlain (32nd) in 12:27 and Noah Ryan (57th) in 14:11.
As a result of their consistency over the season, the U13 boys secured 1st place overall and took the Cove Memorial Cup for the first time since 2003 and Alistair Shelley taking 3 place overall.
With a total of 18 athletes competing across the three junior female age groups. The Under 15 girls finished third overall in the Kent League in their age category and the Under 13 girls finished in a creditable fifth place overall which was a great result considering most of the team had only started competing for the club this season. A number of the team have also achieved Kent selection for the Inter Counties cross country in Oxford on 9th December, so congratulations to those girls who have been selected. The whole team have been a real credit to the club and have turned out in force at each event to give a strong showing for M&M in the 2018 Kent League.
In the Under 15 girls event, Anna Palmer finished a great Kent League season in a superb 5th place (16:12), followed by Emma Ryan in 19th (17:26) and Fern Curran right behind her in 20th (17:30). Next across the line for M&M were Martha Tatnell (23rd – 17:41), Amirah Blackman (27th – 17:52), Annabel Young (29th – 17:54), Sarah Mitchell (34th – 18:28), Alejandra Alonso (41st – 19:19), Katie Stringer (45th – 19:58), Erin Hughes (50th – 20:19) and Ciara Harrop (53rd – 20:53).
In the Under 13 girls, Abigail Royden was first for M&M in an excellent 11th place (12:50), followed by Lily Crossley in 29th (14:08) and Isabel Mackey in 32nd (14:22) in her first competitive event for the club. They were followed over the line by Molly Marsh (34th – 14:27), Emily Moyle (37th – 14:43) and Grace O’Connell (38th – 14:49).
In the Under 17 women’s race, M&M only had one competitor once again – this was Charlotte Young who finished an excellent 4th place, her highest finish of the Kent League season.