‘Team effort delivers National Open – and why we will ask for more’ – Colin

Sunday 9th January 2022

Great to be back! 4J National Indoor Open a success as around 600m compete at Emirates

Colin Hutchison hailed the ‘team effort’ which ensured the 4J National Indoor Open took place at the Emirates Arena.

But the chief executive also emphasised that scottishathletics will keep asking for more leeway on Covid-19 restrictions around events imposed by the Scottish Government and sportscotland.

Keeping people safe is a clear priority, of course, and to that end it was good that a lot of hard work to make the 4J National Open compliant paid off.

‘It was brilliant to be back indoors at the Emirates with an event in a national context – it’s been two years since we’ve been able to deliver that,’ said Colin.

‘So get the National Open to happen, despite some of the restrictions in place, and get 600 or so athletes competing was really good and I want to thank all those who supported the event – particularly staff, clubs, volunteers and of course our Officials.

‘It’s been a huge team effort to get the event staged and we appreciate the commitment from many people to make it happen.’

‘We understand frustrations being felt at some of the additional restrictions which are in place. I think we were all feeling prior to Christmas that, as a sport, we were just about starting to move beyond all the issues and challenges we’ve had to face.

‘It is always our ambition to give as many athletes as we can – and as we are allowed – competition opportunities. Hopefully in the coming weeks we can move on again and deliver a full 4J Indoor Season as intended.

‘I think it is really important for us to give feedback to sportscotland that although we’re pleased to stage an event for 600 people within the restrictions, that we always want more.

‘We’re particularly keen to get non-laned races back (for over 18s). We want those up and running again as soon as possible.

‘We need to look at the perceptions around those events and try and work with sportscotland and Active Scotland to find a way to get them on again.

‘Hopefully that happens in a couple of weeks but if we are faced with restrictions that we can get as many athletes competing as possible.

THANK YOU to our dedicated officials – now experts at sanitising shots as well as their MANY other skills.
Keeping us safe and keeping competition alive – your work doesn't go unseen, you are appreciated!#4Jathletics @SALChiefExec @OvensDavid @DavidFallon88 pic.twitter.com/a219bSwPfN

— scottishathletics (@scotathletics) January 8, 2022

‘It is still a very exciting time. I do feel athletes has made a great recovery and clubs have made a massive effort in restoring it – to keep getting athletes training and then back competing.,’

‘We’ve the 4J Indoor Season, we’ve Inter-Districts in cross country and we have the Lindsays National XC not too far away now. And the DNA event at the Emirates should be very exciting indeed with Scotland in action.’

A huge thank you to all officials for ensuring a great day of athletics. Well done to all athletes for some excellent performances https://t.co/rgv6bboDmI

— Brian Whittle OLY (@BrianWhittle) January 8, 2022