Back on track! Lynsey Sharp returns with 600m win after three years out

Friday 6th January 2023

Photo by Bobby Gavin

Lynsey Sharp took to the start line for the first time since the World Champs in Doha in September 2019 tonight to win the Women’s 600m race at the Glasgow Athletics Miler Meet at the Emirates Arena.

The double Olympian, now a mother, was watched and supported by husband Andrew Butchart and wee Max as well as mum and coach, Carol Sharp.

Lynsey clocked 1:28.91. as she pulled on her old Edinburgh AC vest for the first time since becoming a mum (to Max, late in 2021).

‘I was nervous even though I’ve been training here for weeks and was telling myself ‘it is just the same”, she said.

‘I think it is the first time I have finished a race in Glasgow since that night at Hampden in the Commonwealths.

‘It has been really hard coming back because first there was Covid and then there was having a baby. I was really getting close last April when I then had a stress fracture – at that point I thought the Birmingham 2022 qualifying standard was on for me.

‘So it is tough and there have been times when I’ve wondered if I really want to do this all again. But I have had great support from Andrew and we are both doing it so it takes a lot of team-work to make things happen the way you want.’

Lynsey’s training partner, Ben Greenwood of Central AC, paced the race. Aberdeen AAC athletes were second and third as Hannah Cameron clocked 1:30.35 and Hannah Taylor 1:31.66.