Legacy? It’s happening in front of us at Grangemouth via 4J Age Groups

Sunday 11th August 2024

Major sporting events and their link with the grassroots is a regular topic for discussion – and the Paris 2024 Olympics will be no different.

Arguments no doubt will rage about the ‘legacy’ and the effect of visibility. The ‘see it, to be it‘ model, if you like.

At scottishathletics, we are absolutely certain there is a strong bond between our clubs at grassroots and our elite athletes representing GB and NI at major champs or Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games.

There have been many examples of that in recent days, never mind recent years.

And when you walk through the doors of Grangemouth on the opening morning of the 4J Age Group Champs and the first words you overhear are ‘Eilish McColgan’ and ‘Megan Keith’ then the evidence grows.

Those feelings were confirmed in three interviews we conducted with young athletes at Grangemouth at the start of a weekend which attracted huge entry numbers.

Mark Pollard, Head of Performance at scottishathletics, has recently returned from Paris (where assisted Team GB) and was at Grangemouth on Saturday.

‘I think if you look at those nine Scottish Olympians over in France then a very high percentage of them were here a number of years ago competing at our Age Group Champs,’ said Mark.

‘This is where the journey started for them picking up medals and enjoying their athletics.

‘So it is good to see athletes at U20, U15 and U13 in action here and taking their early steps on that comeptition pathway.’

Photos by Bobby Gavin

Warm and, at times, strong wind readings made conditions tricky but there was still great competition – and great support from parents, coaches and fellow athletes. Well done, as always, to our scottishathletics Officials.

In the U20 Champs, the drama arrived late in the day in the Men’s long jump with a single cm covering the top three – Luc McLeod, Louis White and Matthew Tait.

Mathew had won the High Jump and recorded 6.90 with the other two athletes at 6.91m. Edinbrugh AC athlete Louis leapt to 6.91m twice and had the better series to take gold.

Scott Hopper‘s 68.53m to win the javelin is second best all-time on U20 Men’s list.

At U15 Boys level it was all about lads called Murray. Inverness Harriers athlete Murray Taylor won two gold and three were headed to Pitreavie AAC with Murray Robb peerless in the throws.

In the U15 Girls there were doubles for Cara Monachello, Sophie Robertson and Leanna Elliott with the latter two both from Cumbernauld AAC.

U15 Champions

U15G 100m: Cara Monachello (Kilmarnock Harriers) 12.19 (5.1)
U15G 75m Hurdles: Cara Monachello (Kilmarnock Harriers) 11.38
U15G 200m Esme Deacon (Pitreavie AAC) 26.17
U15G 300m: Mary Taylor (Rugby and Northampton) 40.69
U15G Hammer: Sophie Robertson (Cumbernauld AAC) 56.51m
U15G Shot: Sophie Robertson (Cumbernauld AAC) 10.01m
U15G Long Jump: Leanna Elliot (Cumbernauld AAC) 5.15m
U15G Javelin: Cabrini Pyne (Lifford Strabane) 33.30m
U15G High Jump: Leanna Elliot (Cumbernauld AAC) 1.64m
U15G Discus: Kirsten McDonald-Small (Aberdeen AAC) 29.07m
U15G Triple Jump: Sarah O’Kenney (Letterkenny) 10.77m

U15B 100m: Ewan Donald (Orangegrove) 11.38 (3.8)
U15B 300m: Ethan Carry (Ballymena) 37.22
U15B Pole Vault: Louis Vallet (Aberdeen AAC) 2.56m
U15B Long Jump: Murray Taylor (Inverness Harriers) 6.20m
U15B 80m Hurdles: Murray Taylor (Inverness Harriers) 11.14 CBP
U15B Shot: Murray Robb (Pitreavie AAC) 13.52m
U15B Hammer: Murray Robb (Pitreavie AAC) 38.61m
U15B Discus: Murray Robb (Pitreavie AAC) 35.02
U15B Triple Jump: Abraham Lanahan (Shettleston Harriers) 12.78m
U15B High Jump: Eli Adams (North Shield) 1.84m
U15B Javelin: Rory McFarlane (Cumbernauld AAC) 44.21m

U20 Champions

U20W Pole Vault: Charis Crawford (Springburn Harriers) 3.30m
U20W Javelin: Skye Davidson (Law and District) 33.80m
U20W 400m Hurdles: Anastasia Cotorobai (Pitreavie AAC) 69.04
U20W 800m: Katie Sandilands (Fife Ac) 2:20.53
U20W high Jump: Anna Reid (Aberdeen AAC) 1.67m
U20M Javelin: Scott Hopper (Kilbarchan AAC) 68.53m
U20M 400m Hurdles: Ben Heron (North Ayrshire) 53.34
U20M Long Jump: Louis Whyte (Edinburgh AC) 6.91m
U20M High Jump: Matthew Tait (Dunfermline) 1.93m
U20M 600m: Caleb McLeod (Pitreavie AAC) 1:52.00
U20M 200: Gkontouin Imante (Shettleston Harriers) 21.98
U20M Pole Vault: Rudi May (City of Sheffield) 4.50

*Apologies if we have missed someone. Checks still on-going! Please bear with us . . .