Scots star at Age Groups in Bedford

Monday 31st August 2015

England Athletics website report with link to Results

England Athletics report on Saturday’s action

Scottish athletes headed to Bedford at the weekend for the England Athletics U15 and U17 Champs – and a number came up with fine performances to win a number of medals.

There were a clutch of impressive displays in the endurance events and, of course, while we are celebrating medallists here there were many Scots who made finals or set PBs in Bedford.

Erin Wallace won gold in the U17 Women’s 1500m in a time of 4.33.14 to once again underline her potential. There was a bronze in the same age group for her Giffnock North AAC team-mate, Sarah Eunson, in the 800m.

Cameron Steven of Lasswade AAc set a championship best at the Scottish Age Group Champs in Grangemouth over 1500m and he followed that up with a fine gold medal in the U17 Men’s 800m at Bedford – with a run of 1.52.93.

Edinburgh AC’s Eloise Walker was a 1500m medallist in the U15 age group as she took the silver medal. And in the U17 Men’s 3000m, Scots dominated the podium as Joe Arthur (Edinburgh AC) ran 8.35.19 but was edged into silver in a tight finish. Adam Scott (Fife AC) took home bronze in a PB of 8.38.21.

Pitreavie AAC’s Craig Moriarty proved he could perform when it counts with a PB performance in the U17 Men’s pole vault for third place with 4.11m. Andrew McFarlane of Inverness was fourth, also with 4.11m clearance.

Joel McFarlane – recent three- medal haul at the Scottish Age Groups

Arbroath’s Joel McFarlane won gold in the Under 15 long jump with the furthest jump in the age group this year – 6.40, as Sean Gallagher of Whitemoss took silver with 6.19. Joel also took home a bronze in the U15 80m Hurdles with a run of 11.12.

That hurdles run at 11.12 (+0.7) is being ratified as a Scottish U15 record for Joel, while his 6.40m long jump is second on the U15 all-time list. Congratulations!

These are the medal-winning performances we’ve been able to track so far via individual results. There were other good performances and notice fourth places for the likes of Kate Gallagher (Central AC), Jade Henry (VP-Glasgow) and Olivia Vareille (Falkirk VH).

There were world class performances on show in the disability athletics age group events, Shelby Watson went inside the existing T33 world records for 100m, 200m and 400m – including untested marks from Mary Rice (IRE) at the 2000 Paralympic Games. The highlight was her 20.89 PB in 100m (+0.5) rewarded with a £100 Neuff voucher.

Watson’s Red Star AC team-mate Samantha Kinghorn, one of world’s leading T53 athletes, dominated every wheelchair event and muscled with the boys to finish 4th in the combined 1500m race (3:52.11).

Fife AC’s Sam Fernando won the T20 category U20 ambulant 1500m with a PB of 4:28. Ewen Waite also set a PB to beat his T38 rival Jack Gladman with 4:44.89 to 4:52.8.

*Well done to all the Scottish athletes, coaches and parents who made the journey to Bedford at the weekend and competed at British-level competition. Hopefully the experience gained will help progress in the future.

Tags: Bedford, Cameron Steven, England Athletics Age Group Champs, Erin Wallace, Joel McFarlane, Sam Fernando, Sammi Kinghorn, Shelby Watson