Emily and Kieran confirmed as U20 Hill Running League Champions

Tuesday 18th August 2026

By Phil Mestecky

On Sunday in Peebles, the 2026 scottishathletics U20 Hill Running League reached its seven-race conclusion at the Cademuir Rollercoaster Hill Race.

Wins on the day for Lasswade’s Rowan Taylor and Hania Czebreszuk of Aberdeen AAC were not quite enough to overhaul Kieran Hardie of Harmeny AC and Emily Atkinson from Haddington who, by finishing third and second respectively, secured enough points to take this year’s titles.

Hania’s win confirmed her runners-up place in the league and Lachlan Thomas of Ross County finished second on the day and thereby second in the league, too.

After Sunday, the U14, U16 and U18 age groups still have one more race in their league championships – Suidhe Hill near Aviemore on September 19 – before their titles can be finally awarded.

The overall race was won by Thomas Hilton of local club, Moorfoot Runners, in a new Course Record time with fellow U23 athlete, Angus Wright of Edinburgh University coming home second.

Our age category winners at the Cademuir race were:

U20M Rowan Taylor, Lasswade
U20W Hania Czebreszuk, Aberdeen AAC
U18M Ben Hodson, Stewartry
U18W Lucia Connell, Strathearn
U16B Tom Ibbs, Team East Lothian
U16G Nina Clark, East Kilbride
U14B Thomas Fraser-Moodie, Springburn
U14G Rose Davidson, Gala Harriers
U12B Quinn McInally, Strathearn
U12G Verity Mackenzie, Caledonian PAC

In addition to the league points on offer, Cademuir was also the selection race for the forthcoming Junior Home International to be held in Northern Ireland for U18 and U20 teams from England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The first two past the post for U20s (born 2007/2008) and U18s (2009/2010) gained automatic selection along with the first athlete born in 2011.

So, along with the aforementioned Rowan, Lachlan, Hania, Emily, Ben, Lucia, Tom and Nina, Billy Sutherland of Ross County and Cerys Wright of Lasswade who were second in their U18 categories, will also be on the plane to Belfast.

The remaining selections will be announced shortly.