Team Kennet had several athletes take part in the South of England Cross Country Championships held at Beckenham Place Park in Kent, over a undulated course with a few twists.
The under U13 girls had a full team and were placed 22nd overall (2nd Berkshire team) first home was Charlotte Bailey in 83rd, followed by Amber Stiles 137th, not far behind were Emerald Hill-Sawyer 156th and Chloe O’ Reardan 168th.
Andy Colling took part in the senior race coming home in 438th place.
Team Kennet and West Berks School Sports Network Delivered the annual West Berkshire Quadkids Athletics Festival over the weekend held at Park House School.
The event now in its 15th year saw around 500 youngsters take part in four events over the day, A sprint, distance run, Vortex Throw and a Standing Long Jump.
The year 3 / 4 boys saw only 6 points separate the top 3 in the individuals that saw Luca Brown from St. Gabriels win with 190pts, he was just 1 point ahead of John Rankin Jack Cripps and Pip Maclennan from Burghclere took 3rd with 184pts, The girls saw Orlagh Stratford take the individual win with 183 points from St. Nicolas School, John Rankins Sophia Mahoney took runners up with 177 and Alice Stratford also from St. Nicolas School took third place 160pts.
The Team Placings couldn’t be much closer John Rankin came out as year 3 / 4 Team winners with 1251pts and Francis Baily taking runners up 1245 and St. Nicolas third with 1233.
The year 5 / 6 boys saw a great individual win from John Rankins Alex Rowe 242pts, with Cold Ash Will Devall taking 2nd 236pts and third going to Francis Baily Malachi Stephenson 229pts. In the girls Tilly Clare came out on top from John Rankin 216 pts with Alice Kirby runner up 201 pts and Quinn Joyce from Fir Tree in third with 199pts.
John Rankin came out on top in the team award with 1646pts well ahead of runners up Falkland 1380 and John Rankins B team took third place 1344.
If anyone would like to get involved with Athletics please get in touch with Team Kennet Athletics www.teamkennet.com.
Team Kennet were in action in their last Wessex YA League match of the season at Swindon on Sunday, in a tough match with two teams battling it out for the League title and another one place above the West Berkshire Yellow/Blue Vests it was going to be a great match, end of the day Team Kennet Juniors had to settle for fourth place, there were some outstanding performances.
The under 15 girls has a slight change finishing in the top 3 overall, if they won on the day but had to settle for third place in a very tight match, good points came in the field Eliska Simpson coming 2nd in the discus 23.40, which was matched by team mate Evie Lewis 19.44, in the Shot Simpson won the B string 7.04, a welcome return from Bethany MaClean came third A string 23.12 in gusty winds.
The long Jump saw Emelia Lunn leap 4.55 for 3rd place while her team mate Sophie Moores came 2nd B 4.21, the High Jump another athlete making a return was Amber Stiles clearing 1.36 this was only good enough for 4th place.
On the track New Comer Isla Clare ran a great 1500m having to settle for 2nd place but in a quick 5.16.9, the shorter 800m races Maclean came 2nd in 2.33 with Ellie Ross taking 5th. Lunn ran a seasons best in the 300m to come 2nd place and Ross straight after her 800m came home in 3rd place.
The sprints were fast straight in to a head win Moores came 3rd in the A string 14.4 and Ava Brade coming 2nd B 14.3, the 200m Moores came 5th 29.7 and Maclean 3rd B 29.3, Zoe Dickson best event was her Javelin coming 4th b string.
The Relay quartet of Maclean, Moores, Lunn and Brade ran a excellent race just to lose in the last 40m clocking 56.6 for 3rd place.
The Under 17 men had a good turn out, Ivan Moditha had a good high jump to finish 2nd with 1.60, Joe Hoaen matched this in the Discus with a 25.03 throw, but had to settle for 3rd in the Javelin and the Shot. Oliver Carroll had to settle for 4th places in the 400m and 800m, I the Sprints Caden Thomas came 5th in the 100m 13.3, and in the 200m 5th 25.3 A strings and in the 200m B string Moditha clocked 25.9 for 4th place.
The four teamed up in the 4 x 100m to come 4th in 52.8
The under 13 Boys also had a big squad a Double win came in the Javelin with Noah Lauder-Clark 31.27 and Josh Ladds 24.47, Josh Ladds came 2nd in the Shot 6.36 and Lauder-Clark won the B string 6.07.
Luke Stiles came 5th in the high Jump 1.15 and in the long Jump Josh Brian came 3rd 3.77 and Euan Jones 4th B 3.08 on the Track William Devall made his debut in the 1500m coming home in 2nd place wit h 5.23.3, Jones ran in the 800m coming 3rd 2.53 which was matched by Lauder-Clark 2.45, In the sprints points were hard Brian coming 4th A in the 100m 15.1 and 5th in the 200m 31.5, Lestyn Thomas took to the B strings in the 100m 4th and 200m 5th. Ladds took part in the 75m Hurdles coming 3rd in 15.9 and the Relay team of Brian, Thomas, Jones and Ladds came 4th.
The under 13 girls saw only 5 club athletes turn out, Emerald Hill-Sawyer was on form again as she dominated her 800m race to win in 2.34.3, she also took part in her usual 100m and 200m races coming 3rd in both 14.4 and 29.4.
Ella Cronk came 2nd in her A string high jump with 1.25 and matched the 2nd in the B string 800m 2.47 and coming 4th in the long Jump 3.58.
Jessie McCurtin came 2nd in her high Jump 1.15 and 3rd in the Long Jump 3.28, Mabel Robinson made her debut for the club in the 1500m B string coming a fine 3rd place and 5th in the 200m.
Amelia Ross was the clubs only under 17 women due to holiday commitments, she came 5th in all her events 100m 16.8 the 200m 34.1 and Long Jump 3.13.
The under 15 Boys saw another Debutant Kenechi Akosa, who reached the English Schools, he clocked a fast 200m 24.3 for 2nd place and in the 100m 12.1 for 3rd place, James Simmons took part in the B strings finishing 2nd in the 100m 13.1 and 2nd in the 200m 26.4, Aiden Hunter 5th and Will McDonald took part in the 800m races coming 5th and 4th in their strings. Simmons 4.63 3rd A and McDonald 3.85 3rd B in their long jump Strings and McDonald had to settle for 5th in the Javelin 27.94.
Photo: Julia Hoaen Photo: Julia Hoaen Photo: Julia Hoaen
Sunday 14th January Team Kennet Juniors participated in their first Berkshire Indoor Sports hall Championship since pre COVID at the Thames Valley Athletics Centre. SPORTSHALL ATHLETICS is an indoor form of track and field for children between the ages of 4 and 16 and it allows the young athletes to train during the cold and dark winter months. A superbly organised event with the girl age groups participating in the field events first, and the boys the track, That Saw Team Kennets under 11 Girls Blue Team Crowned Champions of Berkshire.
We had teams representing U11 and U13 age groups and following their huge success in track and field finishing on top of the Wessex and Oxford leagues, the U11 girls were able to provide two teams.
In the U11 boys we had a team of 7 and the team achieved 6th place with 266 points. In the field events Malik Gaye managed 2nd place in the Vertical jump, and the chest push and Samuel Atkins 1st place in the balance test. On the track Jenson Nichols and Joe Mercer secured a 3rd place in the 1+1 lap event. Other boys taking part Gethin Thomas, Sebastian Lauder-Clarke and Sebastian Lane.Â
For the U13 group the girls had a smaller team of 5 also finishing in 6th place with 226 points. In the field Ella Cronk secured 2nd place in the standing long jump. Jessie McCurtin 3rd place in the speed bounce. The girls were consistent with their track events finishing 5th in the 4 events. Other girls taking part Anna Hall, Emerald Hill-Sawyer and Harriet Saunders, if they had one more team member they would have been able to finish in the top 3.
In the U13 boys we had a full team of 8 securing a 5th place with 270 points. Euan Jones and Noah Lauder-Clarke had success in the 3+3 Lap event finishing in 1st place . In the Paarlauf Lauder-Clarke teamed up with John Brian to finish in 3rd place. Other boys taking part Ben Daley, Harry Smith, Josh Brian, Oscar Larkin, Henry Bell and Elliot Bell.
With two teams entered it was sure to be a busy day for the U11 girls. In the red team Sophia Mahoney secured a 4th place in the balance test and on the track in the 1+1 Millie Barlow and Gracie Cooke finished 4th. Also in the red team Alice and Orlagh Stratford and Ella Parsons. With 268 points the red team secured 6th place.
For the blue team there were some strong field performances, a 1st place for Matilda Clare in the standing long jump, 3rd place in the vertical jump for Ella McDonald, 2nd for Penelope Lyth in Speed Bounce and 1st and 3rd place for Isla Ladds and Penelope Lyth in the Hi Stepper. In the field 2nd place for Isla Ladds and Penelope Lyth in the 1+1 race. Also, success for the team with 3rd places in the 2+2, 3+3, Paarlauf, 4×2 relay and 4th place in the 4×1 relay. Completing the team were Maisie McCurtin, Affra Bailey and Matilda Pedersen. These performances secured the girls 1st place with 318 points.
Prior to the Championship there were three trial events and Team Kennet have 9 athletes which have been selected to represent Berkshire at the Intercounty competition in February. These athletes are Emerald Hill-Sawyer, Ella Larkin, Ella McDonald, Isla Ladds, Matilda Clare, Jenson Nichols, Joe Mercer, Malik Gaye and Samuel Atkins.
Some of the Team Kennet juniors were in action on Sunday at the Green Park Challenge. The Green Park Challenge is a 3km finishing in the Select Leasing Stadium, home of Reading Football Club. This year’s event saw 684 runners take part, first over the line was Elliot Bell in 18th position with a time of 11.29s to finish 17th overall, and 5th in his age category M12. Brother Henry Bell 41st, 12.18s finished 9th in his age category M12.  Ben Doherty also taking part for the boys finished in 28th, 6th in the M12 category. Penelope Lyth finished in 25th position, 3rd female overall 11.51s and 1st in her category F11.Â
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.
Several TK Athletes from all age groups attended the Berkshire Schools Cross Country Championships at Newbury Showground on Saturday 18th January 2025.
Full results can be found below, congratulations to all who took part!
