Women’s athletics in Scotland . . . landmarks 1970 –

Lynsey Sharp and Eilidh Child savour silver medal success at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games (photo by Jeff Holmes)

Compiled by Arnold Black

90 Years On . . . celebrating the formation of the Scottish Women’s AAA

1970    The Scottish women’s championships are held jointly with the men’s for the first time.

1970    The Commonwealth Games are held in Edinburgh. Rosemary Payne wins the discus and Rosemary Stirling wins the 800 metres.

1970    Rosemary Stirling and Georgena Craig form half of the British team that break the world 4 x 800 metres record.

1972    Barbara Howie becomes the first Scot to win gold at the Paralympic Games. She wins three events.

1975    Edinburgh Southern Harriers win the first UK Women’s Athletic League and the Pye Women’s Cup Final.

1980    16-year-old Linsey Macdonald becomes the first Scot to win a medal at the Olympic Games, being part of the British 4×400 relay team that wins the bronze medal.

1982    Meg Ritchie wins the discus throw to take gold at the Commonwealth Games.

1986    Liz Lynch wins the 10000 metres at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.

1987    Scotland were represented at the World Cross Country Championships for the last time, Liz McColgan winning the silver medal, the only Scottish female athlete to win an individual medal at the championships.

1988    Liz McColgan (formerly Lynch) gains the silver medal in the 10000 metres at the Olympic Games at Seoul; Yvonne Murray wins the bronze medal in the 3000 metres.

1989    Liz McColgan takes the World indoor silver medal at 3000 metres in 8:34.80 in Budapest. 13 minutes later, she lined up for the 1500 metres and finished sixth in 4:10.16.

Yvonne Murray

1990    Yvonne Murray wins the European 3000 metres title, the first Scottish woman to win individual gold at the European Championships. Liz McColgan retains her Commonwealth 10000 metres title. Beverley Redfern wins gold at the World Mountain Running Championships.

1991    Liz McColgan wins the world 10000 metres title in Tokyo and the New York City marathon.

1992    Indoors, Liz McColgan sets a new world 5000 metres record of 15:03.17 and, on the roads, she wins the World Half Marathon Championship.

1992    The Scottish Women’s Amateur Athletics Association merges with the men’s side to become the Scottish Athletics Federation.

1993    Yvonne Murray becomes the first British woman to win a world indoor championship as she wins the 3000 metres in Toronto.

1994    A Scottish athlete wins the Commonwealth Games 10000 metres for the third time in three races – Yvonne Murray the winner.

1996    London marathon victory for Liz McColgan, winning in 2:27:54.

2000    Angela Mudge wins gold at the World Mountain Running Championships.

Lee McConnell at Melbourne 2006

2002    Lee McConnell wins a 400 metres silver medal at the Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal at the European Championships.

2003    Scotland’s women wins team gold at the World Mountain Running Championships, with Angela Mudge winning individual silver and Tracey Brindley bronze.

2003    Liz McColgan becomes the first female Chair of scottishathletics.

2005    Lee McConnell wins a bronze medal at the World Championships in the 4 x 400 metres relay, the first of four such medals.

2010    Ellie Greenwood wins the IAU World 100 kilometres title, a feat she would repeat in 2014.

2013    Eilidh Child wins 400 metres silver and relay gold at the European Indoor Championships; Lynsey Sharp’s silver medal at the 2012 European Championships is upgraded to gold following the disqualification of Arzhakova on a doping violation.

Libby Clegg dips to win gold for Scotland at Glasgow 2014 in the T12 100m

2014    Glasgow holds the Commonwealth Games and Libby Clegg wins gold in the T12 100 metres, Eilidh Child and Lynsey Sharp win silver medals in the 400 metres hurdles and 800 metres respectively.

2016   Eilidh Doyle wins first Scottish medal at Olympics for 28 years with bronze in the 4x400m relay in Rio.

2017    Laura Muir has a double triumph, winning both the 1500 metres and 3000 metres at the European Indoor Championships.

2019    Laura Muir retains both her 1500 metres and 3000 metres titles at the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

2020    Jemma Reekie with a new British indoor 800 metres record of 1:57.91 and Laura Muir with a 3:57.40 1500 metres both record the fastest times in the world for the events.

The Scottish Championships are cancelled in the midst of the Covid pandemic.