BANK OF SCOTLAND AGE-GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW

16th February 2007

Following some outstanding performances in the DM Hall District and Senior Championships, the indoor season culminates with the Bank of Scotland age-group Championships at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow this weekend, Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th February.

Scottish form athletes include Michael Overend (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers) in the boy's under-15 1500m. The recently crowned Scottish Cross Country Champion in the under-13 age-group will be making the step up an age-group in the transition to indoor competition.

Overend will be up against 2006 winner Shane Quinn (Ferrybank AC), the Irish athlete one of many making the trip to Glasgow to challenge the young Scots on their own patch.

The 60m hurdles should be intriguing, the top three from the District Indoor Championships, Matthew Jones (City of Edinburgh AC), Cameron Goodall (Lasswade AAC) and Michael Downie (Arbroath and District AC) all entered for the age-group Meeting.

The middle-distance events will provide good competition, ScottishPower National Cross Country Champion Emily Owens (Edinburgh Southern Harriers) taking on 'B' final winner from 2006, Hollie Young (City of Glasgow AC) in the 800m.

In the 1500m, 2006 title holder Michaela Stephen (City of Glasgow AC) will be up against another cross country success, Kathryn Pennel of Pitreavie AAC, who came 3rd in the recent National Championships.

Ryan Stewart (Pitreavie AAC), District Champion and currently ranked British number one junior in javelin, third for hammer and sixth for the shot putt, contends the under-17 boy's shot putt. 

A strong Scottish contingent will contend the girl's under-17 1500m, Eilish McColgan (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers) and Sarah Inglis (Lothian Running Club), 2nd and 3rd respectively in 2006, and Gemma Cormack (Elgin AAC), who currently tops the Scottish rankings for 800m and 1500m all lining up to challenge for the age-group title.

All three athletes are involved in Bank of Scotland Talented Young Athletes programmes.

In the men's under-20 long jump and triple jump, Jamie Benzie (Border Harriers) and Jamie Wilson (Shetland AAC) will be looking to go one better than in 2006, when Scottish star John Carr took gold in both events.

The under-20 men's pole vault competition is likely to be headed by 2006 champion, English-based Scottish athlete Scott Huggins (Blackheath) and Laurie Needham (Blackpool and Fylde AC), the under-17 title winner.

In the woman's event, the top two athletes from the 2006 event, Stephanie McKenzie (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) and Courtney MaGuire (Victoria Park AAC), also Bank of Scotland athletes, will be leading the challenge.

The form under-20 female athlete is undoubtedly Jayne Nisbet (Edinburgh Southern Harriers) another Bank of Scotland Talented Young Athlete.

Fresh from setting a huge new personal best of 1.80m in the high jump in Sheffield at the European Indoor Trials/UK Championships last weekend (Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th February), Nisbet will challenge for Scottish age-group Championship titles in three events, the high jump, long jump and triple jump, ahead of representing Great Britain in a unique Norwich Union Jumps International versus the Netherlands at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre in London on Wednesday 21st February.