Super Scotland runs for international XC medals in Belfast

Sunday 23rd January 2022

Mhairi Maclennan and Megan Keith had strong runs in the Senior Women’s race at the British Cross Challenge event in Northern Ireland (photo by Mark Shearman)

British Athletics website coverage

Scotland headed to Belfast for international cross country with podium places very much a target – and didn’t disappoint.

Across a series of age group categories, our athletes delivered a series of strong performances to land high place finishes and medals in the Home Countries International and the Celtic XC events within the races at Dundonald.

British Cross Challenge points were also gathered in fine fashion and we send our warm congratulations to the athletes who wore Scotland vests and their coaches and clubs.

Thanks also to the volunteer Team Managers in Northern Ireland – Derek Easton, Kirk Smith, Linda Smith, Angela Mudge and Ann-Marie Hughes, who were led by Mark Nixon, the new scottishathletics Endurance Manager.

The strong runs began in the lower age groups and continued right through to the Seniors where Mhairi Maclennan and Stuart McCallum each claimed third place finishes in races which featured international opposition.

Hellen Obiri won the Women’s race with Mhairi in third and her Inverness Harriers team-mate, European U20 champion Megan Keith, in fifth place on an excellent day for the Highland club.

Megan was representing Scotland U23 and the second Scotland Senior athlete, Scout Adkin, was eighth to make it three Scots in the top eight. For the U23s, Sarah Tait was 18^th overall, Hannah Anderson 30th and Grace Molloy 33^rd.

Hannah Ryding savours her U20 Women’s race win in Belfast (photo by Mark Shearman)

GB international McCallum led home the Scotland men who had Lachlan Oates at 16^th and Scott Stirling at 18^th.

For Scotland U23s, there was a strong run by Christian Graham to finish 15^th overall and second in the category. Central AC pair Ben MacMillan and Alastair Marshall were at 21^st and 24^th respectively, fourth and fifth in the category as Scotland took Celtic team silvers.

Scotland truly ‘smashed it’ in the U20 Women’s race as they took team golds in both the Home Countries and Celtic XC events.

That was led off by a win for Hannah Ryding with Louisa Brown in second. Kirsty Purcell, in 10^th, was the third scorer for Scotland U20 Women.

Scotland took two sets of team medals at U20 Men. GB international Lewis Hannigan was best placed for the quartet at seventh place with Reuben MacDonald and Fraser Gilmour in 16^th and 17^th as Andrew McGill came home in 27^th.

Freya Campbell had a strong run for third in the U17 Women’s race and was followed home by Amy Teasdale at ninth and Jessica Inglis in 12^th. Millie McClelland-Brooks came home in 16^th as the team took Home Country silver medals.

? Northern Ireland International XC – U17 Male ?

? Connor Bell (Scot) 19.16
? Corey Campbell (Scot) 19.19
? Craig Shennan (Scot) 19.28#WorldCrossCountryTour #NIInternationalXC #CelticGames #BritishCrossChallenge @britathletics @worldathletics @sportni @bbcsportni pic.twitter.com/AKsv7581Qu

— Athletics NI (@AthleticsNI) January 22, 2022

The most impressive collective performance was reserve or our Scotland U17 Men as they grabbed golds in both the Home Country and Celtic XC events.

That was down to a superb 1-2-3 from Connor Bell, Corey Campbell and Craig Shennan with Oliver Patton completing four Scots in the top six in sixth place.

*In the lower age group races in the British Cross Challenge there were strong Scottish runs by Giffnock North athletes as follows:

U15 Boys – Calan Chong 12^th; U15 Girls – Scarlett Wilson 6^th

U13 Boys – Calum Dick 1^st, Ethan Scobie 5^th; U13 Girls – Freya Scobie 6^th, Eilidh Caldow 7^th

? Northern Ireland International XC – Women's U17 ?

? Lucy Foster (NI) – 14.34
? Beca Brown (Wales) – 14.51
? Freya Campbell (Scot) – 14.56#WorldCrossCountryTour #NIInternationalXC #CelticGames #BritishCrossChallenge @britathletics @worldathletics @sportni @bbcsportni pic.twitter.com/Aiet2Z2ISa

— Athletics NI (@AthleticsNI) January 22, 2022