‘We’re so proud of Josh and Jake and their EAC roots’ – Eric Fisher

Thursday 7th September 2023

‘Support from Edinburgh AC and Scottish Athletics kept me in sport’ – Josh

Nobody involved with the Forth Valley League would argue that it is the most significant competition open to Scottish athletes.

After all, those who wear the vest of the clubs involved impress on the global stage, at British level and at our own Scottish National Championships.

Yet success in the Forth Valley arena this season means a great deal for Edinburgh AC – and the timing was perfect, too.

‘Three days after Josh Kerr won the World title, we won the Forth Valley League overall trophies,’ said long-serving coach, Eric Fisher.

‘It’s been really difficult for the club being away from our Meadowbank home for more than four years until coming back to the new track and indoor centre last year.

‘We’re seeing numbers return across all ages and it was great to win those league trophies again. We feel like we are back.’

Eric with Josh – and that World Champs gold medal – at Meadowbank this week (photo by Gary Leek)

Fisher, of course, is one of the most well-kent faces across our sport and he was front and centre on BBC Scotland a day or two after Kerr’s win Men’s 1500m title win in Budapest.

He started coaching Josh at the age of eight and with Chris O’Hare and Jake Wightman passing through the club’s youth sections in a similar era, the lineage is clear. Dave Campbell was the other prominent EAC coach for Josh in his teens.

‘I don’t think there had ever been back to back champions in the same event from one country so for them both to be from EAC was tremendous for the club and for Scotland,’ said Eric.

‘To think one athlete cane maybe emerge and win medals at a World Champs is amazing in itself – but to have two, well, it is quite unbelievable and we are so proud of Jake and Josh and their roots.

‘Josh came to EAC following the footsteps of his elder brother, Jake. Jake won medals around that time and Josh was very keen to copy that. He had a lot of respect for his brother but slowly that changed and he went beyond him, really.

‘Developing young athletes is a vital role in our sport. Our numbers are growing again here now.

‘When we brought different groups back together on the same nights the athletes were asking me ‘who are they, are they with our club?’ and I had to explain we were all EAC.

‘For three or four years, these groups didn’t know anything about anyone else at their club. Now we see the benefit of being back here at Meadowbank.’