Medal Haul For Thanet Girls

Last weekend saw all 4 Thanet AC girls scoop medals in a fantastic display of athletics at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre at The Kent Championships.

Millie Vas, Bethany Shimmen-Smith and Natalia Kolodziejczyk with their respective medals. 

Multi talented Bethany Shimmen-Smith took 3 medals over the 2 days of competition. Her first came in the 60m hurdles where her 2^nd quickest time ever of 10.07s was enough to secure the silver medal. She then went on to scoop the gold medal in the high jump with a height of 1.55m. Day 2 saw her compete in the long jump, and with a distance of 4.75m she achieved her second gold medal of the weekend.

Bethany Shimmen-Smith flying over the hurdles and leaping to a gold in the long jump.

Millie Vas took time away from Cardiff University where she recently competed in the British University Champs. She came back to Kent and competed for Thanet AC in the long jump where she took a fine gold medal.

Amber Jackson took on Kent’s finest in the 2km walk and came away  with a super silver medal and a 5 second personal best time of 13:19.25.

Millie Vas (left and middle), and Amber Jackson (right) in full flow during their events.

Natalia Kolodziejczyk topped off a great weekend where she took her first ever County medal with a bronze medal in the long jump. She didn’t stop there though, and also went on to run a huge personal best in the 60m in a time of 8.88s.

Natalia in action in the 60m and with her bronze medal following the long jump. 

At a time where Thanet AC has been unable to train on our home track for well over 18 months these athletes are still producing the goods on a regular basis. Paul Weaver, our sprints and jumps coach at Thanet AC, said “These girls are such an inspiration to the club. We see them work so hard on a weekly basis and deserve the accolades from this weekend”.

These girls, along with our other athletes, will look to compete at the County Champs outdoors in May.

• Darren Hatton