Robert's relay leg success (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Robert's relay leg success

1:20pm Friday 26th June 2009 in General By John Boyman

ROBERT Tobin helped Great Britain and Northern Ireland to a third place finish in the European Team Championships by running a fine leg in the 4x400m relay.

The Old Basing sprinter ran the crucial second leg in the final event of the championships, which took place in Leiria, Portugal, last weekend.

Conrad Williams ran a good first leg, giving Tobin the lead.

The Basingstoke and Mid Hants runner remained in front as the competitors broke, before extending the lead down the back straight and holding on to give Richard Strachan a decent advantage.

Strachan extended the lead further, making life easy for anchorman Tim Benjamin, who comfortably held off the competition to win the race.

The team’s time of 3:00:82 was a European season’s best, while Tobin recorded an encouraging split of 44.73, especially considering he was only judged fit to run 24 hours earlier due to a nerve problem in his leg.

“That’s where I want to be,” he said.

“It’s still early in the season and there are a couple of months until the World Championships but it is getting there now.

“It was a good race by the team. We controlled it all the way, it was good fun and it was nice that Britain finished on the podium.”

Tobin is hoping to race in Switzerland this weekend as he builds towards the World Championship trials next month.

Two other Basingstoke and Mid Hants athletes were in action at the South of England Championships, which took place at Watford.

Both Andy Blow and Richard Fox competed in the 400m hurdles, Blow winning the silver medal and Fox finishing sixth.

Blow won his heat in a time of 54.62, while Fox reached the final after recording a personal best of 54.83. In the final, it was Blow’s turn to record a lifetime best, finishing in 51.11 to come home second, while Fox ran 55.10 to claim sixth.

Meanwhile, younger members of the club enjoyed success at the South East Schools Inter-Counties Championship in Southampton.

Tanisha Clayton won the junior girls 75m hurdles, while, in the intermediate class, Rebecca Curtis-Harris won the 80m hurdles and Emma Buckett claimed the long jump. Curtis-Harris also won the B long jump, with Buckett claiming the B 80m hurdles.