Beth takes British Champ silver and posts Glasgow 2014 mark

Sunday 11th May 2014

Beth Potter can start thinking about Hampden after a terrific run in the British 10,000m Champs in London on Saturday evening.

The 2013 Scottish XC champion claimed the silver medal behind Jo Pavey in torrential rain at Highgate.

And Beth’s time of 32.45.69 was inside the Commonwealth Games qualifying standard of 32.50 that is required once by Scottish women for Glasgow 2014.

It was also a European Championship qualifier with a place in Zurich now on the cards for Beth.

All the Highgate results can be viewed here: http://www.thepowerof10.info/fixtures/meeting.aspx?meetingid=101360

The Victoria Park City of Glasgow athlete, who is coached by Mick Woods, went desperately close to the 5000m standard in America last month, missing the target by less than a second, and followed that up with a 5000m track title win at BUCS.

Stephen Maguire, scottishathletics Director of Coaching, tweeted: ‘Looks like Beth has niled a qualification standard time, big congrats to her and coach Mick Woods.’

Rhona Auckland was in food form, too, at the ‘Night of the 10ks’ at Highgate as she made a big impression on her track PB.

The Banchory Stonehaven athlete finished sixth in the race and clocked 33.09.59 ñ almost a minute faster than her previous best.

It was not quite such a successful night for Scottish men on the track, with title holder Andrew Lemoncello the best-placed at sixth with 29.26.35.

Lemoncello already has the qualifying standard for the Commonwealth Games at 10,000m but other candidates like Josh Lilly missed out on Saturday evening in those awful conditions.

There was a Scottish victory in the Men’s B race as Sean Fontana won it in 30.09.21. That was a PB for the VP-Glasgow athlete who won the Scottish 5000m track title in 2013.

*Beth pictured here by Mark Shearman

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