TAVISTOCK Athletic Club track members travel more than 200 miles to Walton-on-Thames in Surrey for the first meet of the Southern Athletic League.

After being part of the composite team of Plymouth AC and Erme Valley  that last year gained promotion to division two.

Charlie Shipton, on the back of an outstanding start to the season broke a 33-year old TAC hammer record with an impressive 33.61m.

Charlie decided to go to Walton to get used to the new weight of throwing a 6kg hammer for under 20s next season he moved to senior and has to throw 7.26kg. 

On Sunday at Walton on Thames he threw 33.61 metres and not only get himself in the top 100 for senior weight in the UK he also broke  a Tavistock 30-year hammer record held by a Paul Congo who threw 32.04 in 1988.

Charlie said he did not realise he had broken it until he got home and his mum told him the news.

He said: ’The last time I did something like this was when I was in under 17 and broke the 20-year hammer record. Hammer is not a poplar event it’s a very technical event you need to get everything right to have a good throw and a lot of coaching to get everything right.’ Holly Kinsey won her 100m heat while Joely Bytheway and Jade Kinsey were part of the winning 4 x 400 relay team producing one of the fastest times this season. Tayla James smased her 100m and 200m personal bests; Leah Parnell produced a strong performance with her 100m and 200m heats and Ella Tomlin gained a PB in the javelin.

Alistair Kinsey, the TAC chair said: ‘The commitment of these young adults is second to none, training 3-5 days a week whilst competing most weekends from now to the end of August. It’s a long season which will see many athletes from Tavistock  travel all over the country representing their club, school and local community. They are a credit to themselves and their families.’