INDOOR SUCCESSES FOR KEVIN – UPDATED

WSPH athlete Kevin Archer continued his remarkable start to the indoor Masters season by winning a further two races from gun to tape in the Masters Indoor Challenge at Lee Valley, London.

Representing the South West Veterans AC and competing against five other area teams, Archer won the men’s 60-69 800m and 1,500m titles beating  current European Outdoor champion John Skelton of Eastern Vets and former outdoor World champion and indoor world record holder David Oxland, of Midland Masters in the process.

“The 1,500m was up first and I tried to lead at five-minute pace, and ended up pulling away slightly to win by nearly three seconds in 5:00.89.” said Kevin . Because I was tired I nearly didn’t do the 800m but relented.

 “I tried to run at 2:30 pace for as long as possible and expected a big effort from David, who has out-sprinted me in the past, but again, I managed to pull away to win with 2:28.72, which was very pleasing compared to my 2:31.98 last week, especially after a hard 1,500m race. (Kevin had won the South of England Masters Indoor 800m men’s 60+ title by nearly five seconds a week earlier and went to the Inter- area event suffering from a dry cough due to the dry air often experienced with indoor conditions)

UPDATE

The following weekend Kevin went to the British Masters Indoor Championships where, in a hard fought race, he gained a silver medal in the 60-64 age group 1500m with a time of 4m:59.45s losing out to his long-time rival Dave Bedwell. Another great effort.