Native Records from Alessandro, Nick on dramatic day at 4J Senior Champs

Sunday 13th August 2023

Photo by Bobby Gavin

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Results (and Sunday start-lists)

By Peter Jardine, Head of Communications

Talk about a leap of faith!

Alessandro Schenini came up with the best long jump by a Scot in Scotland and a new Championship Best Performance to claim gold it Grangemouth.

Alessandro’s 8.00m last round jump broke a Native Record set only a few moments before by Stephen Mackenzie in a dramatic head-to-head.

It was the highlight of a thrilling day two at the 4J Senior Champs with a second Native Record in the Field arriving late in the afternoon for Nick Percy in the discus at 62.93m – improving significantly on the mark he set at Scotstoun a week earlier.

Schenini and Percy this claimed Gold standard shares of our £2000 prize pot; Mackenzie took  Silver shares and three further athletes made the Bronze marks – high jumper David Smith, 400m champion Kyle Alexander and sprint hurdler Jane Davidson.

That run gave Davidson a 100m/100m Hurdles double and Sarah Calvert similarly won two golds – over 1500m and 800m. Add a truly dramatic finish in the Men’s 1500m final and there were thrills and spills galore for a rapt audience at Grangemouth.

But we have to start at the long jump pit in front of the main stand.

After that final round leap, with Mackenzie leading on 7.84 (breaking Darren Ritchie’s Native Record at 7.80), Alesandro waited for the measurement to be confirmed and then set off on a series of wild celebrations with his girlfriend, Sarah Malone, his family and his coach, Ryan McAllister.

The climb up the Grangemouth stands was shades of Pat Cash or Andy Murray at Wimbledon, for those who know their tennis!

‘I’m just over the moon with that because I have been trying to jump 8m ever since I reached 7m,’ he said.

‘It has been a tough couple of years but today the competition just inspired me and Stephen jumped a big PB, too. The competition brings out the best in both of us.

‘My best previously was 7.78 and that was to win here two years ago. So I do like Grangemouth as a venue and this is an amazing moment for me. The Championship Best at 7.98m by Chris Tomlinson is another nice one to get.’

Percy had thrown 61.14 for the best discus by a Scot in Scotland only a week earlier at the National Athletics League meeting in Glasgow.

Staying in Balfron with family, Nick trained at Grangemouth during the week. Rumour has it he and his dad may even have cleaned up the circle.

‘I’m really pleased with that today in round three because I’d already had a 59.99m and I’m very much aware I’ve not been beyond 60m here – until today,’ said Nick.

‘I’ve won the English, Welsh and now the Scottish title again this year and it has been a good couple of weeks. I wanted the Native Record, which I held from Grangemouth in 2016.

‘Conditions were not perfect but being here earlier in the week was definitely beneficial.’

In the Men’s 400m, Kyle Alexander won in fine style with a run of 46.94 that gave him Bronze standard

And Jane Davidson added the sprint hurdles title to the 100m title she had won the previous day. Jane’s run of 13.53 was inside the 13.55 required for the Bronze standard and also within a couple of hundredths of the Native Record.

HIGH DRAMA – the closing metres of the M1500m final at #4Jathletics today… pic.twitter.com/omjCSaUQRS

— scottishathletics (@scotathletics) August 13, 2023

Ben Potrykus claimed the Men’s 1500m gold in the most dramatic track finish of the weekend at Grangemouth – then displayed classy sportsmanship off the track.

Race leader Jamie MacKinnon was ahead with around 20m to go when Potrykus closed and forced the Cambuslang Harrier to react.

But MacKinnon lost his footing 5m short of the line and actually had to throw his torso forward to be sure of bronze as Potrykus took the win and Andrew McGill of Livingston the silver.

‘You have to feel sorry for Jamie for the way that turned out and winning gold doesn’t quite feel the way it should for me,’ said Ben.

‘I felt I was on his shoulder with about 20m to go and who knows who would have won it if he’d stayed on his feet.

‘That’s sport I suppose and running is a tough sport. I won here in 2021 in the same event and then missed last year after being ill. So to come back to Grangemouth for the first time since I last one gold here is a good feeling in that sense.’

There was an exciting finish in the Women’s 1500m – even though winner Sarah Calvert was home clear to complete a fine 800m/1500m distance double.

Behind Sarah, in the battle of the Hannahs, Hannah Anderson fought hard to just edge out Hannah Cameron with the East Kilbride/Edinburgh Uni athlete taking the silver by a single hundredth of a second. Calvert clocked 4:22.62, Anderson 4:26.81 and Cameron 4:26.82.

‘I’ve been in some BMC races looking for times this summer and they didn’t go all that well,’ said Sarah.

‘So I spoke to my coach, Lewis Walker, and we felt a championship double was something well worth trying to achieve. I am glad we did because I’ve won both these titles before but in different years.’

David Smith clears 2.17m at Grangemouth and (below) Lois Garland wins the Women’s 200m final (photo by Bobby Gavin)

The 200m finals saw victories for Perth athlete Lois Garland and Kilbarchan AAC’s Krishawn Aiken.

Garland was clear of the challengers on the home straight to win in 24.22 with Sarah Malone taking silver and Rebecca Matheson the bronze.

Aiken similarly closed well to win in 21.37 ahead of Finlay Waugh and Sol Stewart.

In the throws, Angela McAuslan-Kelly took the Women’s Hammer title a week before heading to the United States on a scholarship. The Aberdeen AAC athlete threw out to 55.66m at Grangemouth.

Ewan Bradley was a clear winner in the Men’s 110m Hurdles with a run of 14.21.

There were other Senior titles for Hannah Wallace in the long jump, Dawn Russell in the javelin and Scott Stirling in the Men’s 5000m final.

*In the seated throws events, Adam Donnachie took golds in javelin and shot as well as a silver in the discus.

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Senior Champions

Women’s 100m Hurdles: Jane Davidson (Aberdeen AAC) 13.53

Men’s 15600m: Ben Potrykus (Inverclyde AC) 3:55.75

Women’s 1500m: Sarah Calvert (Livingston Ac) 4:22.62

Women’s Hammer: Angela McAuslan-Kelly (Aberdeen AAC) 55.66m

Women’s Long Jump: Hannah Wallace (Cumbernauld AAC) 5.73m

Men’s Shot: Angus Lockhart (Harrow AC) 15.58m

Women’s 200m: Lois Garland (Perth Strathtay Harriers) 24.22

Men’s 200m: Krishawn Aiken (Kilbarchan AAC) 21.37

Women’s Javelin: Dawn Russell (Kilbarchan AAC)

Women’s 1500m Steeplechase: Lauren Stoddart (Edinburgh AC) 5:05.41

Men’s 110m Hurdles: Ewan Bradley (Loughborough) 14.21

Men’s High Jump: David Smith (Giffnock North AC) 2.17m

Women’s Pole Vault: Sara Barbour (Kilmarnock Harriers) 3.60m

Men’s Discus: Nick Percy (Shaftesbury Barnet): 62.93m

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U17 Champions

Women’s Hammer: Kaitlyn Waddell (North Shields)( 51.32m

Women’s Long Jump: Victoria Anestik (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) 5.40m

Men’s Shot: Bruce Robb (Pitreavie AAC) 13.85m

Men’s High Jump: Rohan Stewart (Worcester) 1.93m

Women’s Javelin: Jessica Young (Cumbernauld AAC) 40.16m

Women’s 1500m Steeplechase: Ruth Walsh (Giffnock North AC) 5:16.22

Men’s Long Jump: Louis Whyte (Moorfoot Runners) 6.63m

Women’s Pole Vault: Charis Crawford (Springburn Harriers) 2.80m

Men’s 1500m: Oliver Patton (Kilbarchan AAC) 4:01.36

Men’s Discus: Bruce Robb (Pitreavie AAC): 43.07

Women’s 1500m: Scarlett Wilson (Giffnock North) 4:40.84

Men’s 200m: Omar Bajo (Edinburgh AC) 21.70

Women’s 200m: Emma Clark (Whitemoss AAC) 24.25

Women’s 80m Hurdles: Shannon Brown (North Ayrshire AC) 11.48

Men’s 100m Hurdles: Angus Rennie (Giffnock North AC) 13.92

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Tags: 4J Senior Champs, Alessandro Schenini, Grangemouth, Nick Percy