Round up: Bedford and Skiddaw

Monday 1st August 2016

Pictured: Andy Douglas on his way to victory on Skiddaw, featured on Lee Procter’s Twitter feed

There were a clutch of medals for Scottish athletes in Bedford at the weekend, as the build-up to the Scottish National Champs continues.

The England Athletics championships saw Rachel Hunter bringing home gold in the women’s hammer throw, with silvers for both Kirsty Law in the discus and Beth Dobbin in the 200m.

Among the para athletes, Maria Lyle won a wind-assisted 200m in a time which would have been a new European record of 29.24, while fellow Rio-bound Paralympian Stef Reid won gold in the long jump. Lewis Clow scooped a full house of PBs in 100m/200m and 400m, returning with a bronze medal in the 200m. Paul Davidson won gold over 400m and finished second running as a guest in the 200m. Ewan Waite won bronze over the ambulant 1500m and Nathan Blackie won silver in the 100m wheelchair race with a huge PB of 16.88 in the heat and 17.14 in the final.

Other Scottish athletes making their mark were David Feeney 7^th in the 110mH, Greg Millar 4^th in the javelin, Heather Paton 5^th in the 100mH, Connor Henderson 5^th in the 400mH, Gus McInroy 4^th in the discus and Pat Swan 6^th in the 400m.

Director of Coaching Rodger Harkins said: “It was a great weekend for Scottish athletes, and it’s good to see them keeping the ball rolling – next stop the Scottish National Championships.”

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There was victory for Andy Douglas of Inverclyde in the Senior Home Country Internationals Hill Race at Skiddaw on Saturday.

Over a 11.3km route including 1080m climb, he secured a clear win in 54:09 – more than two minutes ahead of second place. Also, because the event doubled as the Trial Race for the Mountain Running World Championships, he scooped automatic selection for the GB team for the Worlds, which take place in Sapareva Banya, Bulgaria on 11 September.

Also booking a seat on the plane to Bulgaria was Euan Gillham of Kilbarchan, who won the Junior men’s race (7.7k with 846m ascent) in 41:58. A fantastic result for Euan in his first hill race – he led all the way and won by almost a 90 second margin, finishing ahead of Josh Boyle, who gained a GB vest at the European Championships earlier this year. The result transfers Euan’s superb form on the country during the winter into the mountains.

Emily Nicholson took third in the Junior Women’s race world mountain trial, which also stands her in good stead for GB selection.

The senior men’s and women’s teams were second overall: Women’s team scorers were: 9th Scout Adkin, 12th Stephanie Provan, 13th Georgia Tindley, 16th Louise Mercer, who was also first U23. Helen Bonsor was 23rd.

Men’s team scorers: Andy Douglas 1st Andrew Fallas 15th, Sam Hesling 19th, James Espie 24th. Jacob Adkin was in 26th and Alastair Thurlbeck 46th.

Download the full results

* There was another great run for Tom Owens, who won the Comapedrosa SkyRace in record time after a late entry, following on from his second-place finish in the Buff Epic Trail last weekend. Read the full report here.

Thanks to Malcolm Patterson, Ian Mirfin, Rodger Harkins and Adrian Stott.

Tags: Andy Douglas, Bedford, Emily Nicholson, Euan Gillham, Ewan Waite, Hill Runners, hill running, Lewis Clow, Maria Lyle, Nathan Blackie, Paul Davidson, Stef Reid