Scots ultras picked by GB for Worlds

Tuesday 21st June 2016

Ross Houston – Glasgow 2014 marathon runner has been picked for World 50K

British Athletics have named a couple of teams for long-distance international events later in 2016 – and Scottish athletes are firmly to the fore.

Central AC’s Ross Houston iwill be part of an eight-strong team of British athletes selected for this year’s IAU 50km World Championships on Friday 11 November in Doha.

Comprised of four females and four males, the highly-experienced team will take on ten consecutive 5km loops in Qatar’s capital.

Having debuted in the 50km discipline earlier this year, Houston will make his international bow in the event in Qatar, looking to better the impressive clocking of 2:56.37 achieved at Perth’s Self-Transcendence race back in March – a time which would have been good enough to have secured fourth at last year’s IAU 50km race.

Joining Houston in Doha will be Michael Kallenberg, who competes for the second consecutive year on the back of an eighth place finish in his 50km debut last year. Welshman Kallenberg posted a marathon personal best of 2:21:38 in London this year. Andrew Davies and Stuart Robinson complete the team.

Team leader Walter Hill said: ‘We’ve selected two strong and diverse teams for this year’s IAU 50km World Championships, both of whom should be aiming for the podium.’

The full British Athletics team for the IAU 50km World Championships in Doha, Qatar on November 112016:

Men: Ross Houston; Michael Kallenberg; Andrew Davies; Stuart Robinson;

Women: Rebecca Hilland; Amy Clements; Hannah Oldroyd; Samantha Amend

+++

Tom Owens – another GB selection for the Shettleston athlete

A 12-strong British team has been announced for the IAU World Trail Running Championships in Geres, Portugal on Saturday 29 October – with three Scottish athletes involved, Tom Owens, Donnie Campbell, and Joasia Zakrzewski.

Tom Owens leads the team after narrowly missing out on a podium place in the individual event last year in Annecy, France. He recorded a time of 8:23.26, but played an important part in securing the bronze medal in the team event.

The 34-year-old Shettleston Harriers athlete, who placed an impressive fourth at the World Long distance Mountain Running Championships at the weekend, will be determined to get among the medals this time around on the 85km undulating course featuring 4500m of climbing.

Joining Owens in the senior men’s team is Edinburgh-based Donnie Campbell, who broke the course record by eleven minutes on route to winning the Hoka Highland Fling Race, which doubled up as the British trials.

He recorded a time of 6:51:06 with Damien Hall and 2014 UK trail champion Kim Collison taking second and third respectively. Andy Symonds and Tom Payne complete the men’s line up for the championships.

On his selection, Campbell said: ‘It has been a dream of mine since I got into ultra-running in 2010 to run for my country so I am delighted to be selected to run for the British team at the Word Trail Championship in Portugal this year.

‘We have a very strong team this year with great runners who are on top form and have loads of experience so I am feeling confident British team can build on their success from last year at Annecy.’

Jo Zakrzewski will bring a wealth of distance running experience to the team which includes a 14^th place finish in the marathon at the 2014 Commonwealth Games where she flew the flag for Scotland.

The British Athletics team for the IAU World Trail Running Championships, Geres, Portugal, Saturday 29 October:

Senior Men: Donnie Campbell; Kim Collison; Damien Hall; Tom Payne; Tom Owens; Andy Symonds

Senior Women: Sally Fawcett; Sophie Grant; Jo Meek; Beth Pascall; Holly Rush; Jo Zakrzewski