Olympic hopefuls get a flying start (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Olympic hopefuls get a flying start

1:00pm Saturday 11th February 2012 in Headlines

NORTH Hampshire Olympic hopefuls Robert Tobin and Charlie Purdue tasted victory in their first outings of 2012.

Hook distance runner Purdue got her year under way at the Chichester Priory 10km race and was the first senior woman home in an impressive 33min 18sec.

Old Basing sprinter Tobin was one of several Basingstoke and Mid Hants athletes who travelled to the Birmingham Games. The 28-year-old restricted himself to one race, winning his heat of the 400m in 47.43sec.

Andy Blow won his heat of the 60m hurdles in 8.11sec, a time he matched in the final, finishing fifth in the process. Mark Berridge, who clocked 1min 53.53sec for the 800m representing England in Slovakia a week earlier, also won his heat in Birmingham, recording a season’s best time of 1:52.82.