Scottish Trail Champs; 10k Champs; Mark surgery; Jemma podcast

Thursday 30th August 2018

Kristian Jones (centre) and Andy Douglas (left) are among the entries for Scottish Trail Champs after winning National XC medals back in February (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Scottish Trail Champs – key information

Championship medals and £1000 in prize-money via vouchers is up for grabs at the Scottish Trail Champs on Sunday.

Fife AC are the hosts of the event which will take place on the trails of Falkland Estate and features races in all ages from the U20/Seniors/Masters over 10K down to trial events for U13 and U11 athletes.

With around 250 entries received, there has once again been a  good response to this event which in many ways sets the tone for the cross country season to come.

Entries on the day will be taken for those 3K races at U13 and U11 level and we would urge clubs, coaches and parents to maybe use this as a great opportunity to introduce our youngest athletes to a competition environment.

In the main race, there’s real quality among the entries for the Senior Men’s race in particular where National XC winner, Kristian Jones, will do battle with GB hill running international Andy Douglas as well as John Newsom, named this week for Scotland for the Commonwealth Half Marathon in Wales in Ocotber.

In the women’s race, the podium contenders may well include Fanni Gyurko, a previous winner, Lauren Dickson and Catriona Graves with Fife AC women looking strong via the likes of Halina Rees, Sophie Mullins and Morgan Windram-Geddes.

The Scottish Trail Champs begins with the U11s race at 12 noon and the main senior race – where men and women run together over 10K – is at 2pm.

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Online Entry

The Scottish 10K Champs are once again be held in Stirling – on Sunday 9 September – and there are still entry places available online.

Our championships are incorporated within the City of Stirling 10K with Central AC are again the host club. There is also a 2K Fun Run.

This year, the races take place on Sunday 9 September, with the 2K race starting at 9.30am and the 10K itself then happening at 10.15am. The course is over a flat, fast route and personal bests are always likely.

As well as Championship medals, there is a long list of prizes on offer, and the fixture is also part of the scottishathletics Road Race Grand Prix for 2018.

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Hammer thrower Mark Dry has now undergone hip replacement surgery after his recent injury problems.

Dry of course clinched Commonwealth Games bronze at Gold Coast 2018 – repeating his feat of Glasgow 2014 at Hampden – despite having to fight the pain of the recurring hip issue.

Mark, who has had the support of scottishathletics throughout, is out of hospital following the operation a week or so ago and now faces a lengthy rehabilitation process through the winter.

All at scottishathletics wish Mark all the best for the coming months . . .

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It has been a stunning season for Jemma Reekie with the 2017 European U20 champion at 1500m stepping up to senior level with big success.

Jemma took silver at the British Champs and then bronze at the Athletics World Cup in London (see photo) – en route to an appearance in a GB and NI vest at the European Champs in Berlin.

Rocksport radio had the Kilbarchan AAC athlete as a guest on their Let’s Hear It For The Girls programme and you can listen again to her conversation with Maureen McGonigle and Jo Ferry on the Rocksport Radio podcast

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Tags: Central AC, Fife AC, Jemma Reekie, Mark Dry, Scottish 10K Champs, Scottish Trail Champs, Stirling