Inaugural masters titles for Blackheath and Bromley Harrier and Dulwich Runner

Masters debutants Ed Chuck and Andrea Clement were clear winners of the BMAF Championships which attracted a very healthy entry of 400 runners at a superbly organised event at Somerhill Park in Tonbridge, Kent, on Saturday (Mar 12).

Dulwich Runner Chuck, who only entered the 8km race just over a week before having planned to run the following day's Paddock Wood Half-Marathon, was persuaded after a career best 61st in the English National at Parliament Hill to make his vets debut.

He was immediately at the front of the field alongside Gloucester's James Denne and it was not long before he had opened up a lead.

His run in the English National had not gone entirely to plan as his shoe had come off early on and then he had to work his way back past hundreds of runners to get where he did. Chuck also had calf cramps and they returned during the considerable tough climbs in Somerhill Park, meaning that he had to ease right back.

However, Chuck was able to stretch away on some of the long downhill stretches and eventually won in 28:44 from fellow M35's Denne (29:13) and organising club Tonbridge's Ben Cole (29:18) who led the hosts to a clear win over fellow Kent clubs Kent AC and Blackheath and Bromley.

Already a Surrey 5000m and 10,000m senior champion, Chuck turned M35 less than a month earlier and he is been in personal best form all winter having run 14:36 for 5km and 30:38 for 10km.

Fourth across the line was M40 winner Gary Laybourne who was 46th in the 2020 English National but was doing his first race of 2022.

Tonbridge's Daniel Bradley was fifth ahead of Tunbridge Wells' Will Levett who took M45 gold in 29:46.

Following him home in the M45s was Phil Tedd (30:47) and former Masters International winner Chris Greenwood (30:51).

Epson's Steve Winder followed up his Southern Masters victory with another title as he led home the M50's in 31:04 from Simon Baines (31:35) and Andy Morgan Lee (32:42).

Along with Tedd and Baines, Simon Wurr ensured Thames Hare and Hounds took M45-54 team gold from Herne Hill and Blackheath and Bromley.

Getting among the M50 medallists were the leading M55's.

The European Masters 10,000m champion Andrew Leach won in 31:25 from fellow 58 year-old and former world masters champion Ben Reynolds (31:49). Kevin Usher took bronze in 32:23.

Welsh athletes were in short supply but Ifan Lloyd dominated the M60 category in 33:15 and go one better than he had in the 2020 Championships.

Peter Knight (33:34) and Mark Cursons (33:57) took the other M60 medals. The M55-64 team competition was close as Medway and Maidstone won by just 24 seconds from Guildford and Godalming with Kent third as nine teams completed.

The overall women's 6km winner Clement had been 40th in the National (and first W35) and she had been on maternity leave between 2016 and 2020. A former 33:29.94 10,000m performer in 2010 when she actually won the New Zealand title she initially sat behind Elle Baker.

Baker, the British Championships/CAU runner-up in 2016 and a regular in Britain's world and European cross-country teams, eventually had to led Clement go and the Blackheath athlete won by 30 seconds in 24:49.

Sarah Winstone, who ran a 35:42 PB for 10km the previous week, like the first two, was also running her first Masters race, was a clear third in 25:42 and she led Southampton to a very narrow W35-44 team victory over Baker's Tonbridge.

Epsom took third which allowed W45 and super-versatile Di Norman, dropping down an age group to aid her team, less than a week after winning BMAF gold indoors at 800m, 60m hurdles, high, long and triple jump as well as further silver medals in the shot and javelin.

Another W35 was fourth with former overall champion Rebecca Luxton finishing in 26:04.

Next in was another outright champion (in 2010) W55 Clare Elms (26:07) and the now 58 year-old  remarkably defeated the W40, W45 and W50 champions.

She achieved her highest position since 2013 and outsprinted W45 champion and multi international winner Clare Martin (26:15), who herself won this race back in 2015 and it was the first time Elms had ever beaten the 11 year-younger Martin at the 16th attempt.

She won W55 gold by over four minutes - the day's biggest margin - from Rachel Brunswick (30:08).

Next in was M65 winner Kevin Newman (26:33) who had his best win to date and he was followed in by South of England overall masters champion Carole Coulon (26:45) who took W45 silver.

Blackheath and Bromley Harrier Coulon also won a team gold in the W45-54 event as Tonbridge and Winchester completed the medallists

Ninth overall was W50 champion Jane Gandee (27:10) and the top 10 was completed by improving Julie Backley (27:22) who won W50 silver and she was supported by her brother Steve a world and Olympic silver medallist in the javelin himself!

The W40 winner was back in 12th with Madeleine Armstrong -Plieth taking the title in 27:37 just ahead of M65 runner-up Jonathan Haynes (27:38).

Monica Williamson won W60 gold in 28:02 while Des Michael comfortably took the M70 title in 30:41 while Richard Bloom won the M75 title in 32:42.

The M65 plus team award saw a clear easy victory for Norfolk Gazelles who won by nine minutes from Team Bath and Crawley.

Herne Hill won the W55 team event unopposed.

The best quality age group of the day were the W70s.

Hong Kong Olympic marathoner Yuko Gordon carried on the form that has seen her set world age group marathon records with a time of 32:26.

She was followed in by another Olympian in the form of Montreal 1500m semi-finalist Penny Forse (33:03) who won a battle against multi world and European champion Angela Copson (34:09) who had previously dominated the older age groups in this race and the Masters International but is now aged 74.

Behind the W70 medallists came W65 champion Maggie Statham-Berry (34:40), M80 winner Dave Moorekite (42:18) and W75 champion Pauline Rich (43:24).

Gordon and Forse were not the only Olympians in the race as 1980 Olympic marathoner Ian Thompson also competed.

In 1974 Thompson was the world's fastest and world ranked No. 1 marathoner when he won the European and Commonwealth titles (the latter in an European and British record 2:09:12.

Here he said he was competing as wife Margaret's bag carrier. She too herself was a British record-holder and she took the W65 silver.

Individual medallists summary

W35 (6km): 1 Andrea Clement 24:49; 2 Elle Baker 25:19; 3 Sarah Winstone 25:42

W40 (6km): 1 Madeleine Armstrong-Plieth 27:37; 2 Maxine Mcinulty 28:38; 3 Lauren Johnson 28:50

W45 (6km): 1 Claire Martin 26:15; 2 Carole Coulon 26:45; 3 Martha Hall 27:39

W50 (6km): 1 Jane Gandee 27:10; 2 Julie Backley 27:22; 3 Tina Oldershaw 28:02

w55 (6km): 1 Clare Elms 26:07; 2 Rachel Brunswick 30:08; 3 Caroline Wood 30:37

W60 (6km): 1 Monica Williamson 28:02; 2 Cath Wheeler 29:44; 3 Pamela Iannella 31:18

W65 (6km): 1 Maggie Statham-Berry 34:40; 2 Margaret Thompson 34:52; 3 Gail Hennessy 36:19

W70 (6km): 1 Yuko Gordon 32:26; 2 Penny Forse 33:03; 3 Angela Copson 34:09

W75 (6km): 1 Pauline Rich 43:24

M65 (6km): 1 Kevin Newman 26:33; 2 Jonathan Haynes 27:38; 3 Stephen Rolfe 28:05

M70 (6km): 1 Des Michael 30:41; 2 Don Powell 31:08; 3 Stephen Plested 32:22

M75 (6km): 1 Richard Bloom 32:42; 2 Geoff Newton 36:35; 3 Malcolm Renyard 38:29

M80 (6km): 1 Dave Moorekite 42:18

M35 (8km): 1 Edward Chuck 28:44; 2 James Denne 29:13; 3 Ben Cole 29:18

M40 (8km): 1 Gary Laybourne 29:30; 2 Robery Warner 29:52; 3 Duncan Woolmer 30:11

M45 (8km): 1 Will Levett 29:46; 2 Phil Tedd 30:47; 3 Chris Greenwood 30:51

M50 (8km): 1 Steve Winder 31:04; 2 Simon Baines 31:35; 3 Andy Morgan-Lee 32:42

M55 (8km): 1 Andrew Leach 31:25; 2 Ben Reynolds 31:49; 3 Kevin Usher 32:23

M60 (8km): 1 Ifan Lloyd 33:15; 2 Pete Knight 33:34; 3 Mark Cursons 33:57

Overall (6km):
1 A Clement (B&B, W35) 24:49
2 E Baker (Ton, W35) 25:19
3 S Winstone (Soton, W35) 25:42
4 R Luxton (Chelm, W35) 26:04
5 C Elms (Dulw, W55) 26:07
6 C Martin (Tel, W45) 26:15
7 K Newman (Donc, M65) 26:33
8 C Coulon (B&B, W45) 26:45
9 J Gandee (Win, W50) 27:10
10 J Backley (Camb H, W50) 27:22
11 L Short (Soton, W35) 27:25
12 M Armstrong Plieth (Croy, W40) 27:37
13 J Haynes (Bish S, M65) 27:38
14 M Hall (Gard CR, W45) 27:39
15 S Humphries (Ton, W45) 27:43
16 P Aukett (Soton, W35) 27:46
17 N Evans (Ton, W35) 27:54
18 A Pearson (B&B, W45) 27:59
19 M Williamson (Leam, W60) 28:02
20 T Oldershaw (Ton, W50) 28:02
21 S Rolfe (Norf G, M65) 28:05
22 J Butler (B&B, W45) 28:17
23 J Shapland (Bide, M65) 28:23
24 P McAuliffe (M&M, M65) 28:32
25 T Arnup (Norf G, M65) 28:33
26 S Lamb (VP&TH, W50) 28:36
27 M McInulty (B&B, W40) 28:38
28 M Heslop (Ton, W50) 28:43
29 L Johnson (E&E, W40) 28:50
30 S Walker (DMV, W50) 28:53
31 E Carter (Win, W45) 28:56
32 S Swaine (Herne H, W35) 28:58
33 S Claridge (S'oaks, W45) 28:59
34 W Mathie (Kent, W40) 29:07
35 V Cartwright (Kent, W35) 29:12
36 S Marshall (E&E, W40) 29:19
37 A Osborne (Beck, W40) 29:22
38 A Farrall (Kent, W45) 29:23
39 E Skinner (S Lon, W45) 29:28
40 V Buck (Kent, W45) 29:40
41 C Wheeler (Over, W60) 29:44
42 L Knight (Ton, W45) 29:53
43 D Cook (Craw, M65) 29:57
44 L Bestow (Vale R, W35) 30:05
45 R Brunswick (DMV, W55) 30:08
46 J Fowler (M&M, W45) 30:10
47 V Filsell (THH, W50) 30:12
48 N Gaudillat (Beck, W45) 30:14
49 D Norman (E&E, W45) 30:18
50 H Sinclair (Tun W, W50) 30:25
51 T Hutchison (Bath, M65) 30:36
52 C Wood (Arena, W55) 30:37
53 S Davies (Kent, W35) 30:38
54 D Michael (Barn, M70) 30:41
55 Z Nemeckova (Kent, W45) 30:47
56 P Pilbeam (Ton, W50) 30:52
57 R Burgess (Arena, W50) 30:56
58 L Pitcairn-Knowles (Ton, W55) 31:00
59 D Powell (BMH, M70) 31:08
60 N O'Dowd (Soton, M65) 31:15
61 P Iannella (S Lon, W60) 31:18
62 J Rayfield (Read, W50) 31:27
63 A Catton (Ilf, M65) 31:34
64 J Tolhurst (Padd W, M65) 31:41
65 R Poynter (Red, M65) 31:42
66 C Qirem (Ilf, W35) 31:54
67 H Blair (Eryri, W50) 31:59
68 P Thompson (Norf G, M65) 32:13
69 H Willson (Soton, W40) 32:14
70 C Costiff (Ashf D, W60) 32:20
71 S Plested (ESM, M70) 32:22
72 Y Gordon (FVS, W70) 32:26
73 P Binns (S'end, M70) 32:29
74 K Parker (Arena, W45) 32:36
75 R Bloom (Herts P, M75) 32:42
76 P King (Bath, M65) 32:49
77 A Fenwick (Win, W55) 32:56
78 J Spencer-Wood (Kent, M70) 33:01
79 J Graham (S'oaks, M65) 33:01
80 G Manzotti (Ton, W50) 33:02
81 P Forse (Stubb G, W70) 33:03
82 L Young (Hard, W40) 33:12
83 M Bradshaw (Tun W, W60) 33:44
84 G Nichols (Camb T, M70) 33:46
85 A Mullett (Bath, M65) 34:04
86 A Copson (R&N, W70) 34:09
87 W Hill (Craw, M65) 34:21
88 M Gandara (Tun W, W50) 34:34
89 M Statham-Berry (Ling, W65) 34:40
90 M Anglim (Hard, M70) 34:43
91 G Young (Ilf, W50) 34:51
92 M Thompson (Swin, W65) 34:52
93 N Wood (B&B, M65) 34:58
94 M Smith (Hard, M70) 35:02
95 N Pierce (Tun W, M65) 35:21
96 K Buckeridge (Hay H, W50) 35:27
97 N Hotson (Soton, M65) 35:34
98 J McGlashan (Vets, M70) 35:41
99 H Geldert (THH, W55) 35:51
100 I Richardson (Soton, M65) 36:05
101 G Hennessy (Eton M, W65) 36:19
102 G Newton (Tadw, M75) 36:35
103 P Cummings (Herne H, W45) 36:41
104 G Wheeldon (Herne H, W60) 36:59
105 J Georghiou (Farn, W65) 37:06
106 J Moon (S Lon, W40) 37:15
107 D Beattie (Craw, M70) 37:33
108 E Forsyth (Ilf, M65) 37:42
109 S Hamilton (Hay H, W50) 37:43
110 M Renyard (Hard, M75) 38:29
111 J Moorekite (Larkf, W60) 38:43
112 S Harvey (BecB, M65) 39:02
113 I Thompson (Swin, M70) 39:04
114 E Thorpe (Read RR, M75) 39:17
115 J Houghton (E&E, W55) 39:43
116 J Lloyd (DMV, W55) 39:55
117 S Allen (Herne H, W55) 40:01
118 R Hunter (Kent, W35) 40:18
119 K Dillon (Manc H, M65) 40:47
120 D Moorekite (Larkf, M80) 42:18
121 D Cobbett (RAW, W60) 42:30
122 R Sargent (Ilf, M65) 42:34
123 P Rich (RAW, W75) 43:24
124 A Hadlow (Kent, W65) 44:36
125 W Doxey (Swint, W60) 44:40
126 F Di Carlo (Herne H, W55) 45:08
127 Z Gaffen (Kent, W65) 46:27
128 G Jee (Ton, W50) 47:34
129 M Turner (B&B, W70) 47:45
130 G Routledge (Heat, M70) 51:53
131 N Long (Burt, W45) 57:26

M35 (8km):
1 E Chuck (Dulw) 28:44
2 J Denne (Glouc) 29:13
3 B Cole (Ton) 29:18
4 G Laybourne (S Lon, M40) 29:30
5 D Bradley (Ton) 29:37
6 W Levett (Tun W, M45) 29:46
7 R Warner (Have, M40) 29:52
8 C Loudon (Camb H) 30:07
9 D Woolmer (Walton, M40) 30:11
10 J Allchin (Kent) 30:14
11 T Collins (M&M) 30:18
12 C Halsey (B&H, M40) 30:26
13 P Tedd (THH, M45) 30:47
14 C Greenwood (Kent, M45) 30:51
15 M Evans (B&B, M40) 30:57
16 S Winder (E&E, M50) 31:04
17 M Fallows (Western Tempo, M45) 31:13
18 A Gibbins (B&B, M45) 31:13
19 D Jones (Bath) 31:16
20 A Perfect (Herne H, M45) 31:21
21 C Chessell (Swin, M40) 31:24
22 A Leach (N Herts, M55) 31:25
23 J Kettle (Herne H, M45) 31:33
24 J Smith (Ton, M40) 31:33
25 S Baines (THH, M50) 31:35
26 N Mcclements (Ton) 31:45
27 B Reynolds (THH, M55) 31:49
28 S Wurr (Herne H, M45) 31:57
29 S Evans (Kent) 32:04
30 J Lane (M&M, M45) 32:09
31 J Scott-Buccleuch (Stock H, M40) 32:16
32 W Bevan (Win, M45) 32:18
33 K Usher (Liv PS, M55) 32:23
34 M Muir (Ilf, M45) 32:25
35 M Dickson (Petts, M40) 32:38
36 A Morgan-Lee (Soton, M50) 32:42
37 N Henderson (E&E, M45) 32:43
38 J Rendall (Ton, M40) 32:51
39 N Phillips (Kent, M40) 32:52
40 L Ercolani (B&B, M45) 33:04
41 P Bareham (Tun W) 33:10
42 P Cheetham (THH, M45) 33:13
43 I Lloyd (Swan, M60) 33:15
44 R Giles (Kent, M40) 33:21
45 R Bentley (Soton, M55) 33:29
46 B Evans (Tam, M40) 33:31
47 P Knight (Mid M, M60) 33:34
48 P Woodward (Crow) 33:36
49 T Booth (G&G, M55) 33:39
50 T Woolley (Ton, M40) 33:49
51 O Morrison (Herne H, M45) 33:51
52 G Coombes (Ilf, M50) 33:55
53 M Cursons (Harrow, M60) 33:57
54 N Morrison (Holl S, M45) 34:06
55 A Rodgers (M&M, M55) 34:08
56 P Sansome (Win, M45) 34:12
57 S Horler (Brom Vets, M40) 34:16
58 G Evans (B&B, M40) 34:20
59 M Tennyson (G&G, M55) 34:34
60 B Wilson (B&B) 34:35
61 N Pugh (THH, M50) 34:35
62 A Bennett (Ton, M45) 34:36
63 M Mawby (Inv EK, M40) 34:39
64 N Lyons (M&M, M55) 34:43
65 C Ridley (Col H, M60) 34:44
66 A Bloore (E&E, M55) 34:51
67 C Finill (Harrow, M60) 34:59
68 S Moore (Ling, M50) 35:06
69 J Sarre (Tun W, M45) 35:07
70 B Poll (Brack, M50) 35:09
71 S Barnes (Newb, M50) 35:12
72 D Ogden (S Lon, M60) 35:23
73 J Smith (Soton, M45) 35:28
74 D Moore (DMV, M55) 35:30
75 S Ellis (Leeds C, M45) 35:31
76 J Gevers (Kent, M50) 35:34
77 P Tullett (Chelm, M60) 35:35
78 G Williams (M&M, M55) 35:36
79 S Fraser (Ton, M45) 35:37
80 J Wilson (E&E, M40) 35:38
81 L Lintern (G&G, M40) 35:45
82 T Rule (Ton, M40) 35:48
83 J Watts (Ton) 35:49
84 P Sanders (Kent, M45) 35:54
85 R Beswick (B&B, M60) 35:58
86 C Clement (Serp) 36:00
87 M Penny (Camb H, M40) 36:01
88 A Tibbals (Ton, M45) 36:04
89 B Gilmore (G&G, M40) 36:18
90 J Traczynski (Ton) 36:23
91 J Beeston (Ton, M50) 36:24
92 D Holeyman (Ilf, M45) 36:29
93 T James (Ton, M40) 36:38
94 D Williams (G&G, M55) 36:38
95 S Hough (B&B, M45) 36:41
96 P Wright (Hatt D, M60) 36:43
97 N Varley (Dartf, M50) 36:47
98 R Carter (Win, M50) 37:01
99 L Reilly (Kent, M55) 37:05
100 C Lydon (Kent, M60) 37:13
101 R Beardsworth (Kent, M60) 37:13
102 R Burford (Dartf, M50) 37:14
103 M Pitcairn-Knowles (Ton, M55) 37:20
104 M Botten (Padd W) 37:28
105 P Coleman (Ton, M55) 37:34
106 A Holmes (Tun W, M40) 37:35
107 G Quarton (S Lon, M60) 37:37
108 D Renshaw (G&G, M55) 37:40
109 T Mortimer (N Masters) 37:40
110 L Armitage (Kent, M55) 37:44
111 A Mead (S'oaks, M50) 37:45
112 P Cousins (Hay H, M55) 37:46
113 D Dunstall (Seaf, M60) 37:54
114 D Hadaway (Tun W, M55) 37:56
115 S Rahman (Ilf) 37:59
116 T Bird (Ton, M50) 38:00
117 J Cordle (Norw RR, M55) 38:01
118 A Lammali (Holl S, M55) 38:06
119 C Aves (B&B, M55) 38:07
120 J Armstrong-Plieth (Croy, M45) 38:17
121 R Woolterton (Ilf, M50) 38:28
122 A Rayner (B&B, M40) 38:30
123 P Jeggo (Spring S, M60) 38:34
124 B Tullett (Hay H, M55) 38:44
125 T Knightley (Ilf, M60) 38:48
126 J Moore (Croy, M50) 38:58
127 L Bellers (Phoe, M55) 38:58
128 T Nash (B&B, M55) 38:59
129 D Macdonnell (Ilf, M50) 39:11
130 P Stiff (S Lon, M60) 39:22
131 K Stroud (DMV, M55) 39:25
132 P Wootton (G&G, M55) 39:34
133 S Bowen (Gard CR, M55) 39:35
134 C Davies (DMV, M40) 39:38
135 T Lapins (Croy) 39:39
136 S Harris (Tun W, M50) 39:40
137 S Corke (Tun W, M55) 39:42
138 P Crockford (Lon Hth, M60) 39:45
139 P Sutton (Ton) 39:50
140 H Thirkell (Tun W) 40:04
141 P Grabsky (Phoe, M55) 40:10
142 T Harran (Herne H, M60) 40:21
143 R Winter (Tun W, M40) 40:25
144 G Harris (Tun W, M45) 40:30
145 N Dargue (DMV, M45) 40:36
146 C Oxlade (Croy, M60) 40:40
147 T Hicks (Hay H, M60) 40:41
148 M Thomson (Ton, M50) 40:48
149 B Fursey (M&M, M55) 41:22
150 S Paul (EMAC, M60) 41:42
151 H Long (Soton, M55) 41:54
152 C Walmsley (Tun W, M50) 41:59
153 A Black (Wimb W, M60) 42:31
154 C Richardson (Clapham Pioneers, M40) 42:44
155 J Cooper (Brack, M50) 42:52
156 M Grange (Ton, M55) 42:55
157 N Barber (B&B, M60) 43:31
158 S Doxey (Swint, M60) 43:52
159 G Jones (Brack, M50) 44:21
160 A Deighton (Tun W, M55) 44:46
161 P Wirtzfeld (RAW, M60) 44:53
162 C Bicknell (Hay H, M60) 45:14
163 N Simmonds (Tun W, M50) 45:19
164 G George (E&E, M50) 45:32
165 W Brook (E&E, M45) 45:50
166 S Brech (Datch, M50) 45:55
167 B O'Kane (G&G, M55) 46:05
168 C Edwards (DMV, M60) 46:10
169 A Page (Tun W, M55) 47:19
170 S Cheal (Ilf, M60) 47:54
171 C Wheeler (DMV, M60) 48:22
172 S Brooks (Ton, M55) 53:41
173 T Robinson (Ilf, M45) 58:54
174 I Strong (Herne H, M60) 60:57