Adam relishes golden moment and Holly savours U17 Record
Adam Brown dips for the line to win Senior 1500m gold at Grangemouth (photo by Bobby Gavin)
Aberdeen AAC athlete Adam Brown has admitted he felt an emotional overload after becoming Scottish champion for the first time.
Adam won gold in the Men’s 1500m at the 4J Senior Champs with the outcome in doubt until the final strides at Grangemouth.
It felt like an ‘arrival’ moment in a 13-year journey in the sport and the 23-year-old shed a few tears immediately after the finish as he was greeted by delighted coach Nichola Crawford.
‘I have been running for Aberdeen AAC for about 13 years now – since I was a boy of ten, in fact,’ said Adam, who won in 3:55.26
‘So it has been a dream of mine to become a Scottish champion. The first year I was an age group athlete, the U13 Champs were in Aberdeen. Since that weekend I really wanted to be Scottish champion.
‘It has taken me a while but to do that now at Senior level over 1500m – well, I was a bit emotional after the finish line as it sank in. I am overwhelmed with the feeling.’
In a tight race, as four men chased the medals, the Aberdeen athlete had enough to win.
‘I thought at one point Alastair Marshall (Central AC) was the big danger. My plan had been to stick with Jamie MacKinnon (Cambuslang Harriers) and sit on his shoulder until 100m to go.
‘But Ally was coming through fast and at 150m to go I just went for it myself. Luckily I managed to hold them off on the closing stages.
‘I’ve pushed by PBs on massively at 800m and 1500m now – the 1500 is at 3:43 from the Miler Meet in Glasgow.
‘That helps you get in quicker races and towards my own improvement. It feels like I’ve made a leap forward and hopefully that can happen again next season.’
Ben Potrykus edged out Jamie MacKinnon by just four thousandths of a second to take the bronze. Ben had won silver in the 5000m final won by Angus Smith of Corstorphine AAC.
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There was another ‘arrival’ moment for an Aberdeen AAC athlete only a few minutes after Adam’s win.
To be fair Holly Whittaker had already put together a brilliant season before two runs in the U17 80m hurdles saw her smashing the UK Best for the event not once but twice.
Holly clocked 10.90 in the heat (with 10.94 the Record) and 10.89 to win the final.
‘I’ve been wanting that UK Best mark all season and up until today I had not managed it,’ said Holly, who is coached by Frank Gauld.
‘I had two races left in the season so my approach was to really go for it in the heat – and then see if I could go even faster in the final.
‘In the Long Jump I won the gold but I only did two jumps. I have a hamstring issue so I tried to save myself for the hurdles.
‘That is my season over now and it feels like a good time to take a break.’
Photo by Bobby Gavin
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Tags: Aberdeen, Adam Brown, Holly Whittaker
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