World Records for Gavin, Kayleigh; Meryl wins British ultra trail title

Monday 12th July 2021

Gavin Drysdale in action at Kilmarnock on Saturday (photo by Bobby Gavin)

The 4J Studios Combined Events and Masters Champs at Kilmarnock offered an opportunity to our Para athletes for some invitational events.

And Scotland’s World class RaceRunners grabbed that opportunity in fine style to set yet more World Record times on the track at the Ayrshire Athletics Arena in Kilmarnock.

Gavin Drysdale clocked 16.25 and 34.39 for 100m and 200m PBs in the RR3 category and Kayleigh Haggo posted 37.25 in her RR2 200m.

All three of those performances are World Records, subject to ratification processes, and certainly bode well for the future. Kayleigh for her part is now keen to try and challenge the World mark over 1500m.

Well done to Gavin and Kayleigh and their coach, John Owens!

Kayleigh Haggo in action at Kilmarnock on Saturday (photo by Bobby Gavin)

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1st lady @lakelandtrails 100k & @BritAthletics ultra trail champion 2021 is Scotland’s @meryl_cooper in new CR 11:31:19 @AthleticsWeekly @scotathletics @FastRunning @mountainrunuk @uktrailchat @clynerunning @Ultra_Damo @ultrabritton pic.twitter.com/Foc8cEu74D

— Adrian Stott (@TaritTweets) July 10, 2021

Scottish ultra runner Meryl Cooper landed the British Athletics Ultra Trail Championships in impressive fashion in the Lake District on Saturday.

The event was incorporated into the Lakeland Trails 100km event, in Ambleside, and included 3200m of climb.

Cooper, of Team Inov-8 and coached by Paul Tierney, duly came up with a course record success.

The event had the added incentive of acting as the official trial event for the World Trail and Mountain Running Championships scheduled for Thailand in November (11-14).

The first two male and female athletes overall, subject to them meeting the criteria outlined in the selection policy, will be in contention for selection for the GB team for the 80km trail race.

George Foster won the Men’s race and in the Women’s event GB internationals Cooper and Jo Meek ran the first 60km more or less together.

Meek held a slender one minute lead at Askham (45km) but Cooper took the lead on the stretch over to Glenridding (60km) where she led by four minutes. She proved stronger on the final 30km to also set a new course record of 11:32:19. Meek claimed silver.

Full results and splits are HERE

With thanks to Adrian Stott

Tags: Gavin Drysdale, Kayleigh Haggo, Meryl Cooper, Para athletics, RaceRunning, Ultra running