Scotland U18/U16 teams for Celtic Games

Friday 24th July 2015

‘First step on the international ladder,’ says Rodger Harkins

Follow the action on Twitter with the hashtag #CelticGames

Scotland will face Wales and Ireland in the Celtic Games at Grangemouth on Saturday 1 August – in the annual U18 and U16 match.

And we’re delighted to now confirm the Scotland selections for those age groups for this exciting track and field opportunity.

All four athletes who won GB vests at the World Youths in Colombia – bronze medallist George Evans, Cameron Tindle, Carys McAulay and Ben Greenwood – will represent Scotland.

For many others, this is the first toe on the ladder in terms of international representation and Director of Coaching, Rodger Harkins, has urged them to seize their moment of opportunity.

Also, as Celtic Games hosts this year, there was an chance for scottishathletics to extend the event further and we’ve taken that to pick a Futures Team.

The clear motive in that decision is simply to use Grangemouth to give more Scottish athletes exposure to this kind of event and get a taste of international track and field action at a young age.

For the match itself, it was one athlete per event at both U18 and U16 age groups with recent form taken into account in the selection process. As is usual with the Celtic Games, only certain events are scheduled at U16 age group, hence a small team.

Enter our Age Group Champs – for U13/U15/U17 and U20

Congratulations to all those picked and their families, coaches and clubs on being asked to compete in the Celtic Games 2015 event for Scotland. (We will give Futures Team names nearer the event).

‘In recent weeks we have seen some terrific performances by Scottish athletes – at Senior level and also at the European Age Group champs at U23 and U20 and at the World Youths in Colombia,’ said Rodger.

‘We see the Celtic Games for U18 and U16 athletes as potentially the first step towards those events at some stage in the future.

‘For many athletes, this is the beginning of their international careers and if you look at the athletes who have been prominent in recent weeks like Laura Muir, Chris O’Hare, Mark Dry, Neil Gourley, Josh Kerr, Jack Lawrie, Kathryn Gillespie and Mhairi Hendry then I’m sure you will find them as having been involved in the Celtic Games in their mid to late teens competing for Scotland.

‘This Celtic Games match at Grangemouth is an opportunity to try and deliver good performances which will underline their promise for the future.

In the selections, we have included all four of the athletes who were with GB at the World Youths in Cali – George Evans, Ben Greenwood, Carys McAulay and Cameron Tindle – and we are delighted about that.

‘So right there, within the U18 Scotland team, there are athletes others can look up to for inspiration and motivation to try and emulate further down the line and then there are those went to the Euro U20s and Euro U23s this month as other role models.

‘Congratulations to those selected and their families and coaches and good luck to all who are competing; be that for Scotland or the Futures Team, which we have included again while hosts of the event (as we did in Aberdeen three years ago).’

Ben Greenwood, George Evans and Cameron Tindle – all picked for Celtic Games

Here are the Scotland selections (as at 2pm, Friday)

(If you have not yet done so, would athletes please confirm acceptance to compete by email to performanceteam@scottishathletics.org.uk as availability may affect others)

U18 Men

Cameron Tindle 100m, 200m; Sandy Wilson 400m; Ben Greenwood 800m; Michael Macmillan 1500m; Howard Bell 100m H; Declan Gall 400m H; Alex Carcas 3000m; Samuel Stenhouse Long Jump; Henry Clarkson Triple Jump; Cameron McCorgray High Jump; Craig Moriartry Pole Vault; George Evans shot putt, discus; Jack Moncur Javelin; Craig Mullins Hammer; Drew McIntyre, Ade Awokaya-Mebude 4 x 100m; Lewis Brown, David Allen 4 x 400m

U18 Women

Alisha Rees 100m, 200m; Carys McAulay 400m; Jemma Reekie 800m; Caitlin Arnott 1500m; Zaynah Aziz 1500m s/c; Finlay Marriott 100m H; Sarah Pearson 400m H; Rachel Alexander Long Jump; Alex Burns Triple Jump; Jade Carlyle High Jump; Kirsten Cronie Pole Vault; Bevhan Trevis Shot Putt, Discus; Ellie Fulton Javelin; Natalie Robbins Hammer; Selina Henderson, Jill Cherry, Jenna Wrisberg 4 x 100m; Jemma Reekie, Gillian Gordon 4 x 400m

U16 Boys

John MacLennan 100m; Adam Scott 800m; Joel McFarlane 100m H; Alessandro Schenini Long Jump; Fraser Judge Shot Putt; Andrew McFarlane Javelin

U16 Girls

Kate Johnstone 200m; Erin Wallace 1500m; Alix Still 80m H; Shannon McInally High Jump; Shona Crossan Discus

Tags: Ben Greenwood, Cameron Tindle, Carys McAulay, Celtic Games, George Evans, Grangemouth, Rodger Harkins