Scottish U20 Record alert! Women’s 4x400m team star in Manchester

Thursday 19th August 2021

Record-breakers! Scotland 4x400m Women U20 celebrate (left to right): Sofia Vidak, Katie Johnson, Rachel Callan and Rebecca Grieve (photo by Mark Shearman)

Manchester International Results

Scotland claimed a new Women’s 4x400m U20 National Record at the Manchester International on Wednesday night.

The victory for the young quartet was the highlight of a number of strong performances by young Scots at the Manchester Regional Arena.

It was a first taste of international action for many of the team and the results reflect a number of first and second places, as well as PBs.

Scotland competed in the U20 match against England, Wales, Northern Ireland and GB U18s.

In total, there were five event wins for Scots:

*Women’s 4x400m success in 3:43.08

*5000m win for Megan Keith in 16.10.35

*400m win for Rebecca Grieve in 55.38 PB performance

*Shot put win for Teddy Tchoudja with 13.90m

*Discus win for Kiera Maxwell with 42.70 PB performance

*Katie Johnson of Edinburgh AC represented GB U18s in the Junior 800m race and won in 2:11.96.

Those victories for Grieve and Johnson set them up perfectly for the 4x400m Relay, where they were joined by Sofia Vidak and Rachel Callan.

And those four athletes from Pitreavie AAC, Edinburgh AC, Falkirk Victoria Harriers and Giffnock North delivered a superb performance to win in 3:43.08 – taking five seconds off the Scotland U20 Women’s Record for the event, set back in 2000 in Cyprus.

The running order in Manchester was Vidak, Johnson, Callan and Grieve.

Katie Johnson wins the U20 800m race while representing GB U18s (photo via England Athletics Twitter)

In addition to those event wins, we make it double figures in terms of second places:

*Alyson Bell in the 100m with 11.94

*Nicole Proudfoot in the 100m Hurdles with 14.38 PB

*Peter Bradshaw in the 3000m steeplechase with 9:20.97

*Rachel Callan in the 400m Hurdles with 60.64 PB

*Adam Hoole in the Long Jump with 6.97m

*William Hodi in the Triple Jump with 13.98m

*Josh Tyler in the shot with 15.98

*Callum Newby in the javelin with 45.77m

*Katie Burr in the javelin with 41.23

*Scotland 4x100m Women in 47.30 (Layla Zuill, Sarah Duff, Lois Garland, Freya Cowan)

Further PBs were posted by Lewis Hannigan in the men’s 5000m with 14:29.55 and Danny Gracie in the hammer with 58.39m.

Megan Keith was our team captain for Scotland and the Inverness Harriers athlete came up with a 5000m victory (photo via England Athletics Twitter)

Just as important as the performances listed was the whole Manchester International experience for these teenage athletes.

The U20 age group (like others) been affected by Covid-19 hitting competition opportunities, so it was felt very worthwhile to take a team and give as many athletes as possible the chance to compete against others in the age group from around Britain.

Well done to all those who wore the Scotland vest and to their own coaches and clubs who are helping them develop.

*Thanks also to the volunteer coaches who gave their time and experience to join scottishathletics staff in the team management and event group roles in Manchester.

Those coaches are: David Watson, Bryan Roy, Duncan Flockhart, Linda Smith, Kirk Smith, Ryan McAllister, Anne Scott.