Jones, Simpson land Scottish 10,000m golds

Saturday 29th April 2017

Kris Jones leads in the early stages en route to his 29.16 Scottish title win at 10,000m (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Night of 10Ks Results

There were Scottish Senior title wins at Crownpoint in the GAA Miler Meet for Dundee Hawkhill athlete Kris Jones and Annabel Simpson of Fife AC.

Jones clocked a superb 29.16.39 to land the prize fund pot of £200 all for himself, with the silver medal headed for Edinburgh AC’s Michael Christoforou with 29.59.07 and bronze to Fife AC’s Logan Rees with 30.26.22.

Simpson, racing the distance for the first time on the track, clocked 35.33.46 to win gold from silver medallist Michelle Sandison of Springburn Harriers 37.03.9. There was a Senior bronze for Fiona Matheson of Falkirk Vics with 37.11.76.

It was once again a highly-successful GAA Miler Meet – and the Night of the 10Ks is another ‘growth area’. There were 58 finishers on Friday, which could not have been envisaged even three years ago. In the Men’s A race, seven athletes went under 31.05.

Jones actually wore his white Swansea Harriers vest and didn’t miss the opportunity to mention the Welsh club’s recent purple patch – they won the English Road Relays and then saw Josh Griffiths claim a World Champs place in the London Marathon.

‘I know the Scottish endurance scene is great at the moment but I’m pleased to say it is pretty good in Wales, too,’ grinned Kristian.

‘I wondered about wearing my Dundee Hawkhill vest and wasn’t sure of the BMC rules – but it was good to win wearing Swansea colours. It has been a really good couple of weeks for Swansea!

‘The Welsh B standard for Gold Coast for 10,000m is 28.55 and I just wanted to see how close I could get to that racing over 25 laps for the first time. I have to be very happy with it. I just went with the pace-maker (Cameron Milne) and then thought I would see how I could go – and 14.20 for the second 5K really pleases me.

‘It was a good event and thank to the Glasgow Athletics Association for putting on these meets. I enjoyed it and now I will race at Highgate in the British 10,000m Champs and see how that goes.’

Good run for James Donald – Dundee Hawks vest

James Donald did wear the Dundee Hawkhill colours and the U20 came up with a superb 31.02.75 for his first race on the track at this distance. That puts James in at seventh place on the all-time U20 list.

Simpson, now U23, is studying dentistry at Glasgow University and had recovered from injury for her first taste of 10,000m – with impending exam commitments meaning she decided against racing at BUCS.

‘It was brutal at times,’ smiled Annabel. ‘You get to 15 laps and realise you still have another 4K to run! But I managed to keep it going and I’m quite pleased because, and I know it sounds a bit daft, sitting down studying in a library hasn’t been good for me. I had a calf injury and sitting a lot didn’t help it at all.

‘So I’m delighted to win a Scottish Senior title. The Uni have been quite supportive of me, though, and I know one of my lecturers, Neil Nairn, will be pleased for me. He runs a jogscotland group out of the Dentistry School so he understands running more than others.

‘I am racing the Scottish 5K Champs at Silverknowes next week and looking forward to that one.’

Annabel Simpson – first race over 10,000m on the track

Sandison and Matheson also picked up age group golds in the Scottish Masters Champs. Cambuslang’s Kerry-Liam Wilson clocked 32.15.67 to win the V45 Men’s category.

Among the other gold medallists were: Suzanne Gilmour (VP Glasgow) W40 in 38.01.84; Ben Hukins (Cambuslang) V35 32.10. 90; Chris Greenhalgh (Giffnock North) V40 in 34.35.02; Brian Scally (Shettleston) V50 in 35.24.23; Peter Laing (Ayr Seaforth) V55 42.26.22; Ray Aiken (Keith) V65 in 46.50.00

Thanks, as always, to the volunteers from the GAA; the pace-makers, and the scottishathletics Officials on duty at Crownpoint on Friday night.

Tags: Annabel Simpson, Crownpoint, GAA Miler Meet, Kris Jones

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