Scottish Senior/U17 Champs – Sunday

Monday 15th August 2016

Nick Percy throws Scottish Native Record in discus at Grangemouth – photo by Bobby Gavin

Start-lists for Saturday and Sunday (link for Live Results)

Nick Percy claimed the Scottish Native Record in the discus at Grangemouth and then revealed it topped of his ‘perfect’ 2016.

The British champion reached 59.90m to eclipse the best performance by a Scot in Scotland in the event – set at Glasgow 2014 by Angus McInroy – in one of the highlights of the Scottish Senior Champs.

Allan Smith took the men’s high jump gold with 2.20m and Allan Hamilton the long jump in 7.52m in two other fine performances with Avril Jackson, Alisha Rees, Zoey Clark, Heather Paton, John McCall, Jack Lawrie, Emily Dudgeon, Matthew White, Mhairi Hendry, Caroline Adams, Gillian Cooke, Grant Plenderleith, Aileen Rennie and Greg Louden able to call themselves Scottish champion.

Photos on Facebook by Bobby Gavin

‘The Native Record was something I really wanted so I was delighted to get beyond that distance three times today and claim it as my own,’ said Percy.

‘It completes the perfect year for me. I’ve won everything I wanted to, including the NCAA and British titles as well as the Scottish title, and I’ve been pushing the boundaries on the Scottish National Records.

‘I like to set myself these challenges but also keep them realistic. I don’t think 64m was likely coming here today but I did want to better that Native Record.

‘Angus set that in a Commonwealth Games at Hampden so that was a good achievement. Now I’ve managed it in the Scottish Champs.

‘Hopefully we are putting discus up in lights a wee bit. There are guys coming through at young age groups – George Evans has represented GB and NI already – and Andrew Peck is coming through at U17.

‘I will throw for Scotland at the Manchester International in midweek and then that will be the end of the season. I will need a couple of weeks off as a break then.’

Percy then won the shot putt title with 15.85m to add to a silver on Saturday in the hammer to complete a throws medal hat-trick.

Watch Vinco’s live stream from both days

Jackson set a PB of 58.75 in the 400m Hurdles and the Edinburgh AC athlete, who combines work commitments in the capital and Switzerland, has half an eye now on the Gold Coast (qualifying standard 57.29).

‘I am pretty shocked by that time today – although I had a feeling there was a sub-59 run in me,’ said Avril, as Pitreavie AAC athlete Lawrie (pictured above) took the men’s 400m race.

‘I’ve worked on my speed this year and I am stronger, too. That’s where the improvement is coming from and I’ve been under 60 a few times this season.

‘To be honest, the Commonwealth Games was not even in my head until a few weeks ago. The standard looked a bit away but it is getting closer now and it is maybe something to look for come 2017.’

Jackson’s Edinburgh AC team-mate, Allan Hamilton, won the Men’s long jump gold – after three jumps in a row at 7.52m! That was enough to clinch his first outdoors Scottish title.

‘It was a bit bizarre and I was asking the Officials ‘you must be kidding me’ after the third one came up again at the same distance,’ said Allan.

‘But I will take it and it was good to win gold after a pretty long outdoor season.’

Allan Hamilton – 7.52m long jump win

Rees claimed Senior gold at 200m with 23.73 while Hendry did well to see off the challenge of Katy Brown in an exciting finish to the Women’s 800m. Reigning champion Hendry won it in 2.05.24.

Commonwealth Games athlete Gillian Cooke is no stranger to the podium on these occasions. After a triple jump silver on Saturday, Cooke followed that up with gold in the long jump with 5.85m – to take her overall Scottish Seniors tally to . . . 32 medals.

Unattached Irish athlete, Kieran Kelly, just headed Ben Greenwood in the 800m. Falkirk Vics athlete Plenderleith won the 200m in 21.11 on his home track as the 1500m titles went to Mathew White (3.50.34) and Emily Dudgeon (4.24.87).

Glasgow 2014 relay runners Clark and Louden claimed gold in the 400m contests. The men’s was a close finish, but the Lasswade AAC athlete won it 47.89 from Anthony Young and Patrick Swan. Clark, for her part, fulfilled on her promise to retain the title she won in Aberdeen a year ago, with her winning time this year at 53.67.

In the sprint hurdles, McCall took the Men’s title with 14.71 while Paton won the Women’s in 13.76. Lauren Stoddart of Edinburgh AC won the Women’s steeplechase in 11.00.23 and her club-mate, Aileen Rennie, is Scottish champion in javelin after a best throw of 44.51m.

A couple of visiting athletes took gold in the Women’s hammer and the Men’s 5000m. Commonwealth Games 2014 champion, Sultana Frizell, won the hammer with the Canadian at 63.04. Swansea’s Kristian Jones took the 5000m in 14.20.

Jo Butterfield receives gold from Director of Coaching Rodger Harkins

There were Para throws golds for Jo Butterfield and Graham Condie and it was a day when a fully integrate programme happened – with Rio-bound trio Butterfield, Stef Reid and Maria Lyle all in action.

Maria won her 100m and 200m races and set a Season’s Best in the 200m with 29.72.

‘I enjoyed being here and part of the Scottish Champs,’ said Dunbar teenager Lyle. ‘I don’t race very often in Scotland and it is a good track here at Grangemouth. I am really excited about Rio, of course, because it is my first Paralympic and should be an amazing experience.’

Other Para medals went to Nathan Fleetwood and George Lehardy, as Sean Frame won a wheelchair race double over 100m and 400m

*Among the top performers in the Scottish U17 Champs over the weekend were the likes of Andrew Peck, Joel McFarlane and Sarah Malone, each of those athletes taking more than one gold at Grangemouth.

Others to call themselves U17 Scottish champion are Louise McCullagh, Adam Clayton, Evie Bartl, Megan Busby, Emma Rae, Alessandro Schenini and Alana Dunsmore.

If we’ve failed to highlight a title-winning performance, please accept our sincere apologies.

To check Results from the U17 and Age Group Relays, please use the link at the top of the story. Thanks

Tags: Allan Hamilton, Avril Jackson, Grangemouth, Maria Lyle, Nick Percy, Scottish Senior and Para Champs, Scottish U17 Champs