Hercules Wimbledon AC: Record medal haul at Surrey Championships at Kingston

Athletes from Hercules Wimbledon Athletic Club achieved a record medal haul at the annual Surrey track and field championships at Kingston over the weekend, writes Tom Pollak.

A record of more than 100 of the club’s athletes took part in the two-day meeting picking up more than 20 medals. Busiest of the Hercules Wimbledon contingent was all-rounder Mark Andrews, who gained a quartet of individual medals and competed in six events across the two days.

He gained silver medals in the long and triple jumps and bronze in the high jump and javelin. Andrews finished fourth in the shot and discus.

Freddie Arkell, who goes to St Cecilia’s School in Southfields, was one of six Hercules Wimbledon title winners. He raced to victory in the U20 men’s 200m in a PB of 21.91 seconds after winning his heat in 22.10, the fastest of the eight qualifiers. His time improved on the 21.96 he clocked at Dagenham at the beginning of the month, the first time he had got inside 22 seconds. He was also fourth in the 100m in 11.08.

Hannah Bell, who like Arkell is coached by former Surrey 100m champion Paul Miller, also posted a lifetime best of 12.25 in winning the senior women’s 100m gold medal. It improved on the 12.36 wind-assisted time she posted to finish second at the Dagenham meeting. She also took the silver medal in the 200m in 25.82.

Elliott Turbin twice improved on his PB of 38.84 in winning his boys U15 300m heat in 37.66 and then the final in 37.24, finishing 0.24 seconds ahead of the silver medallist.

Thomas Wharton won the U15 boys 800m by the thickness of his vest in a PBof 2:18.00, the same time as the runner-up. Teenagers Millie Thorpe and George Johnson took the U20 women’s 800m (2:18.00) and U17 men’s javelin titles (46.15m).

Hercules Wimbledon picked up 12 silver medals. Christer Hagberg was second in the senior men’s discus (41.59m). Other silver medallists were Albane Fery (U20 women’s 1,500 m), Heather Letley (senior women’s sprint hurdles), Tom Street (U20 400m hurdles), Bryn Cann (U20 triple jump), Conor Kelly (U17 200m), Mabel-Rose Scales (U17 women’s high jump), Oliver Mealor (U13 boys long jump) and Isabella Harrison (U13 girls 800m).

In his first race since August last year, international Dwayne Cowan, who helped Britain to bronze medals in the 2017 World and 2018 European 4x400m relay championships, took the senior men’s 100m bronze medal in 10.85.

Helena Bhattacharya took the U20 women’s 3,000m bronze medal in 12:30.00, the first time she has raced over the distance while Sam Dyson was third in the U13 boys 1,500m in 4:47.00.

Hercules runners gained a hat-trick of wins in Saturday’s 5km parkruns. Rosemary Fernando made a winning debut at Bushy Park. She finished 14th out of 140 runners to take the women’s event in 18:21.

Will Woodcock headed home a 708-strong field on Clapham Common in 17:06 to post his second victory there since his first appearance in the event in July 2021.

Alex Milne headed home a 198-strong field to win the Panshangar event in 15:43, his 15th win there since making his first appearance there on Christmas Day 2014. His time was also his fastest since posting his PB of 15:37 for the course in October 2015.