Team Kennet had several athletes take part at the annual Berkshire Cross Country Championships held at Hungerford Rugby Club. The annual event is a qualifying race for the 2025 CAU UK Inter Counties Cross Country Championship with those finishing in the top 8 a guaranteed place.
First up to tackle the course was the Masters Men 9.3km race. Andy Colling finishing 13th and Chris Turner 22nd.
Under 13 boys course was 3km, Harry Smith 14th, Samuel Atkins 19th, Henry Bell 20t, Elliot Bell 21st and Josh Bailey 25th. Team Kennet finishing in 5th place as a team.
For the under 13 girls all 3 making their debut at the event Penelope Lyth finishing 8th, Matilda Clare 11th and Affra Bailey 17th. This placed the team in 4th place.
Under 15 boys 4km Arthur Patterson finishing in 14th and Under 15 girls Anna Hall 13th, Emerald Hill-Sawyer 14th and Ella Cronk 17th, team also finishing in 4th.
Cirencester Park hosted round 2 of the Oxon XC league. Rain & mud were the order of the day, with the ladies race getting some particularly heavy rain half way through.
In the under 11 girls race, Matilda Saunders was an excellent 3rd and Ella Parsons worked hard for 16th in the mud
Harriet Saunders ran excellently for 2nd place in the under 13 girls race.
Harry Smith was 10th in the under 13 boys, an excellent result.
Anna Hall kept up her good from for 8th in the under 15 girls race.
Senior men saw Hefin Jones in 27th and 1st in the V50 category, 94th was Richard Saunders in his first Oxon league race, Andy Colling was 119th and 3rd in the V60 category.
Other places
190 Phil Baker
224 Mitch Poustie
258 Simon Hockaday
275 Simon Gale
279 Rob Parsons
Our lone lady runner, Katie Reynolds came in 86th, another excellent run in the heavy rain.
Richard Dunbabin travelled to Torremolinos in Spain last week to compete in the 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Championships. Richard finished 11th in his age group and was the 3rd GBR triathlete over the line. Due to his success this means he will pre-qualify for next years World Championships, for the 3rd successive year.
Several Team Kennet athletes were in action over the last week and some of the end of season track and field open meetings.
Penelope Lyth attended the Oxford Midweek open, the final round for the season competing under floodlights in the 800m and finished 2nd in the U13 girls category.
Turkay Altuntas won the shot with a throw of 12.95m at the Radley Open Meet. Theo Nightingale was 2nd in the High Jump with a new PB 1.82m. Chester Bailey entered the Quadrathlon finishing in 4th place.
Great time was had by all TK members at the Overton 5 mile race last Sunday. A rolling course (to put it mildly!) but with a downhill finish in the last mile which was more than welcome! Opening race of the Hampshire Road race league ensured some fast club runners were in attendance. First over the line for Team Kennet was Nick Burdett, MV50 35:02 11th MV50, Mitchell Poustie followed 36:59 20th MV40, Simon Hockaday 41:17 25th MV55, Julia Gaye 45:56 15th FV40, and Simon Gale 46:51 34th MV50. Elodie Burdett took part in the junior race finishing 1st overall.
Team Kennet Quadkids were back for the final Wessex League Match of 2024 in Abingdon this weekend. The girls currently are top of the league and look certain to retain their title.
A full squad of 10 for the U11 girls hoping to finish in the top spot again. In the 75m sprint Ella Larkin 11.4s, Orlagh Stratford 11.5s and Karaleia Bamfield and Alice Stratford both clocking 12.1s. Larkin leaped the furthest in the long jump with 3.64m but close behind Sophia Mahoney 3.62m then A Stratford 3.21m. In the longer run 600m saw Larkin break the league record clocking 1.45.7. The Stratford twins close clocking 1.58. Finally, the Vortex throw A Stratford threw 29.55m, Larkin 26.94m and Mahoney 26.94m. Ella Larkin finished in 1st place overall on the day with 253 points. Also in the top scores A Stratford 222points, Sophia Mahoney 216 and Orlagh Stratford 213. Overall, the team scored 904 points to ensure 1st place on the day. This is the first time at TK where the girls have scored over 900 points and only the 2nd time any club in the Wessex League has scored over 900 points., Also taking part Maisie McCurtin, Praiya Foreman, Noella Martinez Martin,. Darcey Scaplehorn and Cecily Wyer.
For the boys 7 boys taking part in the 75m sprint Louis Cartwright quickest for TK with 11.5s, William Maloney 11.9s and Alexander Browning 12.2s. Moloney leaped the furthest with 3.27m, Cartwright 2.85m and Joshua Kuijten 2.80m. The longer run Cartwright clocked 1.54.7, Moloney 2.05. In the Vortex throw event Moloney threw furthest with 26.64m, Kuijten 23.20m and Cartwright 22.73m. William Moloney secured 5th overall on the day with the boys finishing in 3rd place as a team. Also taking part Jacob Williams, Eion Fussel and Sebastian Lauder-Clarke.
Team Kennet Juniors were in action again in the Wessex Young Athletes League in the final match of the season at Abingdon, The West Berkshire club secured a top 8 league finish out of 26 clubs finishing second on the day.
Basingstoke 576
Team Kennet 379
Abingdon 337
Fleet 263
Woking 146
Andover 130
All the Girls age groups finished 2nd places in their age group matches, making sure that all the girls finished also in the top 8 of their own age groups, in the under 17 women’s age group on the Field a double win came from Zoe Allen throwing a massive 39.78 to put her in 7th in the UK rankings and backed by Evie Lewis in the B string javelin. Lewis earlier won the Discus with 27.95, Both Girls teamed up again in the Shot with Allen only just winning with a throw of 10.53 and to make it another double Lewis won the B with 8.42.
Second places rolled in from the High Jump with Leilah Gaye 1.40, on the Track Isla Clare ran the double of 800m 2.40.2 and 1500m 5.23.1 to finish 2nd in both, Ellie Ross came 2nd in the B string 300m, in the A string Sophie Moores stepped up the distance to try it with a 4th place 48.0.
The 4 x100m Relay quartet of Moores, Gaye, Ross and Clare came home in 3rd place.
The under 15 girls were without several key athletes but the squad kept up their consistency through out the season, on the Field 2nd places came from the Shot Daisy Downer 7.48 and Anna Hall 5.22, same again in the Javelin as the two paired up again, and in the Discus Downer had to settle for 4th place in the A string. The High Jump Ella Cronk came 3rd with 1.30m, this was matched in the Long Jump with Emerald Hill Sawyer 4.35 and Amelie Tayton 3.65.
On the track, Hall tackled the 1500m to come home in 2nd place 5.32, in the shorter 800m Cronk was placed 4th 2.47.9 and 2nd in the B string from Tayton, Hill Sawyer was consistent in the 300m with 3rd place 45.6 and 2nd place came from B string Chloe O’Riordan 49.6, The 200m saw full turnout in the A string Hill Sawyer was 5th 28.6 and Cronk 29.3 in the B string for 3rd place, in the 100m O’Riordan came 6th in 14.8.
The 4x100m Relay team of Hill Sawyer, Hall, O’Riordan and Cronk came home in 3rd place.
The under 13 girls had several wins, in the Javelin Ella McDonald won her first ever event with a throw of 17.19, Penelope Lyth had a go at the Discus and was rewarded with a 2nd place 13.53, another win came in the High Jump with Jessie McCurtin leaping 1.32, McCurtin came 2nd in the B string Shot 5.24 with team mate Affra Bailey 4th A string 5.32, Earlier on McDonald came 4th A string in the Long Jump 3.60 and Olivia Bentley 2nd B string 3.54.
The Track saw good points coming from the Distance races, in the 1500m McCurtin came 2nd 5.29.2 and a great run from Lyth winning the B string 5.30.80, in the 800m Bentley ran a superb race to come home winner with 2.34.7 and Affra Bailey just missed out on winning with 2nd place 2.50.2, Bentley tackled the shorter 200m with a fast 28.8 to finish 2nd A string which was matched by Isla Ladds in the B string 31.4, Lyth clocked 14.9 in the B 100m for 2nd place in the A string Ladds came 5th 15.4, Ladds also came 3rd in the sprint hurdles with 15.7.
The 4 x100m relay team were convincing winners in 58.7 Ladds, Lyth, Bentley and McCurtin.
The Boys Sections couldn’t quite match what the girls did, but some outstanding performances came from the under 17 two athletes, Firstly Theo Nightingale winning the High jump in 1.79, a Double win from Nightingale 5.48 and Kennechi Akosa 4.76 in the Long Jump, where both boys just made it with seconds after a car crash on the A 34 delayed them getting to the match, Akosa was fired up after just running and jumping in the long jump pit to secure one legal jump managed to warm up and went out and won the 200m in 22.7, he later went on and won the 400m in 51.7.
The under 15 Boys came 2nd in their match, again missing some of the squad, the field team racked up the points, in the Javelin Will McDonald came 2nd 34.53 but team mate Noah Lauder-Clarke won the B string 30.57, in the Discus Rueben Kuijten was 3rd A string 21.98 and a B win came from McDonald 20.57, The Shot Ben Daley came 3rd 6.62 and Kuijten came 2nd B 6.61 matching his team mate. The long Jump Daley was 4th and Josh Ladds 3rd B, on the track best of the results came in the B 300m with Josh Brian 47.0, and 100m Josh Brian and Josh Ladds both came 3rd in their strings.
Finaly the under 13 Boys were looking for a top 3 finish in their age group, that soon went as the competition was tough, as the boys had to settle for 3rd place in a close match, Oskar Larkin secured a superb 2nd place in the high Jump with a leap of 1.40 and Malik Gaye won the B string 1.20, The Javelin Euan Jones had to settle for 2nd place 30.22 and Larkin made it a win with 23.33 in the B string, on the Track the 1500m saw a superb race Harry Smith could only get 3rd place with 4.52.6 and Sam Atkins in the B string came 2nd in 5.32, Larkin came 3rd in the 800m 2.39, this was matched in the 200m from Harry Smith 30.0 and JJ Mercer 31.9, Connor O’Riordan added points from his events 100m 4th B 15.3 and Long Jump B string 3.39.
The Relay team of Larkin, Gaye, Mercer and O’Riordan came home in 3rd place.
Team Kennet were in action with their composite club Marlborough in the second match of the Southern Athletics League Division 3 West coming third place in a close match.
Best individuals results came in the Javelin where Team Kennet Athletes paired up, in the Men’s Luke Angell carrying an injury had to settle for 2nd place throwing 50.88, u20 athlete Brandon Carter won his B string with a throw of 44.23. In the Women Javelin two second places came from Zoe Allen 33.15 and Clare McGonnell 28.14 both making there debuts in the SAL League as u17s. Evie Lewis carried on with her transition in the SAL as an u17 in the throws her best event the Discus saw her come 2nd with a throw of 26.92 and third places in the Shot 7.89 and Hammer 26.68.
Another u17 Sophie Moores also made her debut in the league with a win in the B string 200m 29.5 and taking 2nd place in the B Long Jump and had to settle for 4th in the 100m.
The women 400m Allen came home in 3rd A string 68.3 and Eve Brown had a good run to finish 2nd B String 65.8.
In the Distance races Georgina McCabe came won the B string 3000m and had to settle for 3rd in the A string 1500m.
McGonnell came 3rd in the A String High Jump with 1.35 to cover the Women’s section.
The Men’s side best result came in the 3000m steeplechase on the track with Chris Turner coming home in 3rd place in the A string and B string was won by Nick Burdett. James Simmons gained more confidence in his sprint races 100m and 200m although coming 4th in both ran fast times,.
The Middle Distance races Andy Colling tackled the 3000m coming home in 4th and Mitch Poustie won the B string. Poustie also ran B string in the 800m to finish 2nd place.
Theo Nightingale another club u17 athlete has excelled in the league coming 3rd in the high jump 1.70 and matched this in the long jump 5.50. Finally Graham Chambers came 3rd in the Hammer B string.
Two Team Kennet athletes were selected to represent their School Counties in the English Schools Track and Field Championships held at the Birmingham Alexander Stadium at the weekend. Turkay Altuntas reached the final finishing in 4th for the discus throw with 37.36m. Kenechi Akosa also reached the final for the 100m and finished in 8th clocking 22.82s.
Team Kennet took part in their third match of the Wessex YA League at Aldershot with the biggest squad of the season so far and secured 37 individual wins as they came 2nd overall on the day just behind the host club Camberley.
Camberley 486
Team Kennet 443
Fleet 329
Aldershot 245
Abingdon 208
Woking 207
The Clubs under 15 girls made it an age group win, the day started with a superb win for Charlotte Bailey in the 1500m breaking the 5 min barrier for the first time clocking 4.59.16, and her teammate Anna Hall came through to win the B string in 5.30.7, another Double win came in the 300m Emerald Hill Sawyer clocking 45.63 and Bailey 46.51 both girls gaining best times. The high Jump were the club pick up great points saw a double again from Hannah Taylor 1.35 and Ella Cronk 1.35, and Daisy Downer and Zoe Dickson also teamed up well in the Throws to secure more double wins firstly in the Shot 8.63 Downer and 6.86 Dickson, in The Discus Dickson had to settle for 2nd A string 16.90 and Downer 16.29 to take the B win, in the Javelin Downer won her Javelin to make it a hat trick of wins with a throw of 18.14 and Anna Hall winning the B string 17.98, Hill Sawyer secured a huge best performance in her long jump coming 2nd with a leap of 4.57.
The 4 x 100m relay team of Cronk, Hill Sawyer, Hall, and Bailey came home in 3rd place.
The under 17s didn’t want to be left out of age group win as they won theirs to push them in to the top 3 overall in the league for age groups.
It was the throws securing most of the wins with doubles coming from Evie Lewis 8.65 and Suki Humphrey 6.57 in the Shot, both teamed up in the Discus to win another double Lewis 22.77 and Humphrey 20.50 and in the Javelin another double from Clare McGonnell 32.45 and Lewis taking the B string. McGonnell came 2nd in her high Jump with 1.35 while in the long jump Sophie Moores came 3rd A string 4.31 and Isla Clare 2nd B string 3.84.
On the track Isla Clare pulled away to win the 1500m in 5.16.22, in the 300m McGonnell came home in 3rd place 44.46 and Clare 47.23 to take B win, in the shorter sprints Moores had to settle for 4th places in the A string 100m 14.0 and 200m 29.08 and Ellie Ross came 4th in the B 100m 15.68 and 3rd B in the 200m 30.54.
The 4 x 100m Relay quartet of McGonnell, Clare, Ross and Moores brought the batten round in 2nd place 56.26.
The under 13 Boys team were second yet again for the third match, this keeps them high up in the age group tables, on the track a great race developed in the 1500m where Harry Smith had to settle for 2nd place in a massive best time of 4.48.9, A double win came in the High Jump with Malik Gaye 1.28 and Sam Atkins 1.20 but Non Scorer Oskar Larkin beat everyone clearing 1.35.
The Throws all season so far picking up huge points Berkay Altuntas won his Shot 9.34 and took the Discus with a throw of 29.03 and he also won the B string Javelin in 21.44 and his Team Mate Euan Jones won the Javelin outright with a throw of 28.64, Alfie Cronk gained good points also in the throws, back on the track in the 800m Gaye came 5th but a great run by Larkin secured another win for the u13 boys. Josh Bailey and JJ Mercer also added good points in the sprints and Distance races for the club.
The Relay team on the day came home in 4th place.
The under 15 Boys also came 2nd in their age group Turkay Altuntas securing wins in the Shot 11.17 and Discus 33.04, and Rueben Kuijten also winning the Shot B string 6.50 and the Discus 21.74 for two double wins together, Will McDonald had to settle for 2nd A string in the Javelin 34.11 while Noah Lauder-Clarke won the B string 29.62, Ben Daley and Josh Brian and Arthur Patterson also gained good points for the club in their events.
The 4 x 100m Relay team came home in 2nd place, taking part was Lauder-Clarke, Brian, McDonald, and Daley.
The under 17 men were 3rd in their age group league, Kenechi Okosa warming up for the English Schools won his Sprint double of the 100m 11.3 and 200m 22.72, teammate James Simmons clocked up two second places 100m 12.4 and 200m 25.1.
Theo Nightingale won the High Jump with a leap of 1.70 while in the Long Jump all three boys took part Okosa 2nd A string 5.55, Simmons 2nd B string 5.40 and nightingale as non-scorer 5.53.
The Under 13 Girls were down on the clubs usual numbers but the 5 girls superbly worked well as a team to finish 3rd in their age group, The distance races almost secured maximum points, in the 1500m Harriet Saunders 5.13.5 and Ella McDonald 5.55.19 both won with best times, in the shorter 800m Olivia Bentley won her race 2.34.41 in a best time and Affra Bailey led all the way till last 10m to come 2nd in 2.51.88 for another best time. Bentley showing her versatility came 2nd in the 200m 29.36, Matilda Clare came 2nd in the 100m A string with McDonald taking 3rd B string. On the Field events Clare came 2nd in the High Jump 1.25, in the Javelin McDonald was 3rd A string and Clare taking 2nd B, in the Shot Harriet Saunders came 4th A string and Bailey 2nd B string.
The 4 x 100m Relay team Clare, Bailey, Bentley, and McDonald came home in 2nd place.
