Josh victory wave amid Scottish medal rush in Birmingham

Sunday 3rd August 2025

*Please note this report subject to corrections on Monday. It is intended to cover some highlights and not every single performance. Thanks for your patience. 1500m race updates to follow

Josh Kerr claimed gold in Birmingham over 5000m – and even had time to wave to the Alexander Stadium crowd on his final lap.

It was a highly impressive performance from the Olympic and World Champs 1500m medallist.

Josh revelled in the Birmingham atmosphere and the early part of day two at the UK Champs was kind to Scots in terms of podium moments.

Field medals and Para event medals flowed just before that 5000m victory for the Edinburgh AC athlete, as he won in 13:44.73.

‘This is my second ever British title; I am very lucky to be able to come and race over the 5000m amongst a great field,’ said Josh.

‘It was always going to be tough out there over the last mile but I really enjoyed the first eight laps; that was fun!

‘I love sharing my story with the fans here and I like to be accessible to the British fans, especially the young athletes here today and watching at home.

‘I want to give them all that I have and I knew I couldn’t run that fast on the last lap, so I just wanted to really enjoy it. ‘

Jemma Reekie booked her place on the team, too.

Second place and silver medal was enough in the Women’s 800m for the Kilbarchan AAC athlete to clinch selection. Jemma clocked 2:00.97 as Georgia Hunter-Bell took the gold.

‘I am delighted to book my place in Tokyo, I know that nothing is a given,’ said Jemma.

‘It was great to come out here and compete under pressure and get the top two. You can plan all you want to be there, but these British girls are not easy to beat. ‘

Aberdeen AAC athlete Hannah Cameron had fought hard on Saturday to make that final and placed ninth on Sunday with 2:05.07.

Nicole Yeargin maintained her relay selection hopes in the Women’s 400m. The Pitreavie AAC athlete finished strongly to take fourth in the race in 51.75 seconds.

Photo: Getty Images for British Athletics

In the early afternoon, three medals came along in about five minutes.

Kirsty Law took silver in the discus – despite having almost pulled out of competing with a back issue that flared earlier in the week.

Then Steven Bryce had to settle for second place, by only seven hundredths, in the Ambulant 1500m final. Steven (4:03.77) looked set for the win but Kieran O’Hara edged him out on the line. Fife AC athlete Sam Fernando was fifth.

Moments later and there was Para gold as Kyle Brotherton held off the challenges to win the Men’s 1500m Wheelchair race in an intriguing contest with three athletes in contention throughout.

‘I am delighted to win that and it was a real tactical race for a long time,’ said Kyle, who represents Red Star AC and Inverclyde AC and is coached by Gerry Gaffney.

Earlier in the day, Bera Ajala had been the first Scottish medallist of day two.

The Edinburgh AC athlete leapt to 15.44m in his final round and only lost out on silver on countback. And this only a week on from winning gold at the England Athletics Champs at the same venue.

‘I do love competing here in Birmingham and that goes right back to my early years in the sport when I came here for YDL finals with Edinburgh AC,’ said Bera.

Scottish Para athlete, Rebecca Scott, picked up a bronze medal in the ambulant 100m with SB run of 13.60 seconds. Rebecca had clocked 13.66 in an earlier race in the same event.

Rachel Callan clocked 61.52 for eighth place in the Women’s 400m hurdles final. William Ritchie-Moulin was fourth in the sprint hurdles final with 13.97.