#4Jathletics: Myles gold and Corey lands Scottish U17 Record 3000m

Friday 18th February 2022

Photo by Bobby Gavin

Myles Edwards had vowed to roll back the years in Glasgow on Friday night – and he did exactly that to land 1500m gold at our 4J Seniors track races.

The Aberdeen AAC athlete, 33, bridged a seven-year gap since last winning the indoor title and representing Scotland as he came home in 3:56.63.

Records fell at both ends of the age scale as Corey Campbell took down the Scottish Indoor U17 Record at 3000m and Philippa Millage the British W40 mark for 800m.

Campbell’s impressive 8:23.94 was also inside the qualifying time of 8:28 asked by British Athletics for the Euro U18s in Israel later this year.

In that men’s 1500m final, Finlay Murray of East Sutherland was second in 3:58.14 and Magnus Tait of Lasswade AC third in 3:59.44 on a night when Edwards took advantage of withdrawals.

‘I’m thrilled to have won this and I was actually down to run the 3k all those weeks ago in early January,’ he said.

‘But I came here in good shape and one or two people didn’t show up. It’s always great to win a Scottish championship medal and I’m delighted the opportunity was available via rearranged races.

‘I know it’s been really difficult for you as a governing body and for the Officials so it is great things have managed to go ahead.’

Corey Campbell celebrate a fine run over 3000m at the Emirates Arena (photo by Bobby Gavin)

The men’s 3000m saw a number of good performances with Kris Jones of Dundee Hawkhill Harriers and Ryan Thomson of Cambuslang battle for gold. Jones took it by 8:03.92 to 8:04.29 – with that a strong PB for Ryan.

The bronze headed to Robbie Ferguson of Kilbarchan AAC.

Campbell clocked a superb 8:23.94 to break a record held at 8:38.01 from 2013 by Gavin McArdle. Kilbarchan’s Oliver Patton was at 8.33.80 to also get inside the old U17 Scottish Indoor Record (and move second all-time).

In the women’s 3000m race, there was gold for visiting Irish athlete, Niamh Kearney, with a sub 9:30 run as Garscube duo Louisa Brown and Lesley Bell joined her on the podium. Lesley’s run of 10:08.94 was a Scottish W45 Best.

Millage won another Scottish title (and British w40 Record) as she took the 800m race in dominant fashion.

The W40 athlete clocked 2:10.21 to win from Zoe Carruthers of City of Lisburn (2:13.81) and Anise McAuley Orr of Edinburgh AC (2:14.53).

‘It’s nice to win a Scottish championship and collect the medal,’ said Philippa.

‘We appreciate the event being on, we really do. It’s been so tough for so many athletes over the past year or two without many race opportunities.

‘I want to thank the Officials for being here on a Friday night and with a long weekend of volunteering to come at the 4J Age Groups. Thank you.’

Inverclyde AC’s Lewis Hainey took the Men’s 800m gold in 1:53.23 from Glasgow Uni’s Stewart Millar (1:53.97) . There was a silver there for Dunbar Masters M40 athlete, Andy Brown, at 1:56.84

‘That’s two medals 15 years apart,’ grinned Andy, with that run a Scottish M40 Best for 800m.

‘I won the indoor title in 2005 and was silver medallist in 2007.

‘I was out of the sport for a long while and only came back when my daughter got into it. I’ve run a Scottish M40 Record in the 800 a couple of times and now that’s a Senior bronze so I am delighted.’

In the 400m finals, there were gold medals for Stacey Downie of Edinburgh AC and Kyle Alexander of Giffnock North AC. Stacey clocked 56.42 and Kyle won in 48.41 – for his indoor PB.

The other medallists in the Women’s final were Airdrie’s Roisin Smith (silver) and Falkirk’s Olivia Vareille (bronze). The other medallists in the Men’s final, in a very tight finish, were Kilbarchan’s Krishawn Aiken (silver) and Dundee Hawkhill’s Declan Gall (bronze).

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