Noticeboard: RPMF Grants; Kiplagat; XC Seminar; Haile

Thursday 17th September 2015

Scottish athletes aged 15-23 can now apply for Ron Pickering Memorial Fund (RPMF) annual grants for 2016, with the application process open until November 29, 2015.

A record number of talented young British athletes received more than £40,000 in grants from the RPMF in 2015, with 185 athletes from 105 different clubs benefitting.

The RPMF is the UK’s leading charity devoted to supporting young talented British athletes. Since inception in 1991 the Fund has raised and awarded over £1.5 million in small but significant grants to over 2000 future stars,.

Over two thirds of the British athletics Olympic teams in 2008 and 2012 had at some stage of their careers received support from the Fund, helping the recipients make the difficult transition from junior to senior level through support for equipment, specialist coaching or travel and importantly helping build confidence and self-esteem for athletes through recognition.

Previous beneficiaries of an annual award include Greg Rutherford, Christine Ohuruogu, Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Sophie Hitchon, Holly Bradshaw, Charlie Grice, Morgan Lake and many more.

Applications should be made using the online form available on the RPMF website. The 2016 application process closes on Sunday November 29, 2015.

Award selection takes place in early December and the announcement of the grant recipients will be made by early January 2016.

The Fund receives a large number of applications and the grants committee looks closely at every application. A decision is made on the basis of not only talent but also qualities such as need and continued progress within the sport.

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Success last year – for Edna Kiplagat

Two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat is set to return to Glasgow to defend her Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run on October 4.

The Kenyan is to form part of an elite women’s half-marathon field also including athletes such as Britain’s Gemma Steel and Jo Pavey.

Steel has established herself as a leading British road runner over the past couple of years, a reputation underlined in the Great North Run on Sunday when she finished as runner-up to Kenya’s Mary Keitany for the second successive year.

The European cross-country champion will face a tough challenge in Glasgow if Kiplagat repeats the sort of form she produced in the 2014 race. The 35-year-old, who won last year’s London Marathon, finished a clear victor in 67:57, breaking Joyce Chepchumba’s 14-year-old course record by 55 seconds.

‘It’s one of the best courses I’ve run on,’ said Kiplagat. ‘It’s mostly flat but with some small hills. That’s a good combination.’

The elite men’s field features Kenya’s marathon world record-holder Dennis Kimetto, while Ethiopian long-distance legend Haile Gebrselassie is to bid his competitive running career farewell in the 10km city centre race earlier in the day.

Entry for both the 10km and half-marathon is available via www.greatscottishrun.com.

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Freya Ross – seminar at Cambuslang

Ronhill Cambuslang Harriers will be holding a running seminar on Friday 2 October in the Cambuslang Sports Club, Glasgow.

The guest speakers will be Mark Pollard and Freya Ross (Murray) as they address the theme for the evening of preparation for cross country.

Mark is a twice Scottish XC champion and coach to Johnny Glen, U20 Scottish XC champion and GB international, and to Josh Kerr, the current European U20 1500m champion.

Freya is a multi Scottish champion, a GB internationalist and has competed in Commonwealth, European and Olympic Games.

A number of tickets are still available on a first come, first served basis priced at £2 and will include tea/coffee with biscuits by contacting David Cooney at davidccooney@gmail.com

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Haile – Great Run competition

Haile Gebrselassie will be in Glasgow for the Great Scottish Run and there’s now a competition chance for 10 runners to start the 10k with the great Ethiopian!

If you would like to meet Haile and join him as he crosses the start line in his last ever competitive event, all you have to do is tell Great Run what question you would most like to ask the man himself.

Perhaps about his win at the Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run in 2013, or maybe you’d ask him for some expert training tips? Whatever your burning question would be, Great Run want to hear it for the chance to join him on the start-line on Sunday 4 October in Glasgow.

Email your question, along with your full name, age and hometown, to startwithhaile@greatscottishrun.com by 5pm on Friday 25 September to be in with a chance of winning this once in a lifetime opportunity.

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Tags: Edna Kiplagat, Freya Ross, Gemma Steel, Haile Gebrselassie, Jo Pavey, Mark Pollard, Ron Pickering Memorial Fund