‘If athletes commit to Scottish Champs, we all get better races’

Monday 3rd April 2023

Enter now for Scottish 10K Champs in Glasgow

There were only nine available spaces left when Hamish Hickey went online to enter the Scottish 10-Mile Champs in the Tom Scott Road Races.

The race duly reached its capacity of 500 runners but not before the Central AC athlete’s coach, Derek Easton, had responded positively (and thankfully quickly) to Hamish’s suggestion he should run at Strathclyde Park.

A gold medal and a fast time was the consequence and the new Scottish 10-Mile champion is a firm believer in the more our better athletes race championship events, the more standards will rise.

Fraser Stewart of Cambuslang had won the Scottish Half Champs in Inverness with Hickey taking the bronze but this time the younger man turned the tables.

Now Hamish is adamant that as many of our top athletes as possible should support Scottish National Championship races.

‘There are so many races and we want to get as many people as we can into the sport – by showcasing it, if you like,’ said the 23-year-old.

‘I think it is stupid if I don’t race Scottish Championship events. If I can do them, I will do them. So long as we are being smart with training in between all those races and not doing too much.

Natasha and Hamish land Scottish 10-Mile titles at Tom Scott Road Races

Hamish Hickey with the leading group just after the start at Strathclyde Park (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Road Race GP standards for 2023

‘I would urge athletes to support Scottish champs – because that makes it better for everyone. If you get a good turnout, and the best quality athletes possible, then we get deeper and better competition – and better performances come out of that.

‘I think there were six guys inside the time standards asked for shares in the Scottish Athletics Road Race GP today. You can see the times.

‘Fraser Stewart turned up at Strathclyde Park despite being deep in marathon training for London and he’s contributed in a major way to making it a great race and the time I have run.

‘So I think we can help each other while being very competitive with each other as well.

‘You want the best possible quality turning out. The Lindsays National XC is probably the main one each year that everyone wants to be at – if we can get that happening at road champs then I think it helps the sport.

‘I think it draws people towards running and that’s one reason why I am in the sport.’

The Scottish 5K Champs are coming up at Silverknowes on Friday 5 May with the 10k Champs at the Shettleston Babcock race at Glasgow Green on Sunday 14 May.