Four event wins as well as U20 Relay best and PBs at Loughborough

Sunday 19th May 2024

Hannah Anderson celebrates her win in the Women’s Mile event (photo by Bobby Gavin)

(NOTE: This is intended as a round-up and not a comprehensive list of all performances. Subject to changes and corrections).

From Peter Jardine, Head of Communications, at Loughborough

Scottish athletes posted four event wins in the sunshire 66th outing of the Loughborough International at the Paula Radcliffe Stadium.

Nick Percy and Will Grimsey were peerless in the field; Steven Bryce now ‘owns’ the Para 1500m race at this particular meet; and Hannah Anderson came up with a career-best performance to win the Women’s Mile.

There were other highlights including a fine Women’s 4×100 Relay run by our Development Team which is a Scottish U17 and U20 best – with the quartet all aged 16.

And Adam Hoole, the Team East Lothian multi-eventer, excelled in his long jump to take second place in the Match with a superb final round PB of 7.62m (after 7.56m in round five).

The nature of the Scotland team selection was such that a big points tally seemed improbable. But with 12 athletes savouring their first Senior outing in track and field, the portents do seem promising for future years.

Indeed, four young athletes represented GB and Ni Juniors in the Match with vest moments for Rebecca Grieve, Dean Patterson, Corey Campbell and Scott Hopper.

Our Women’s 4x400m team and, below, high jumper Will Grimsey (photos by Bobby Gavin)

Kelsey Stewart was handed the honour of being Scotland Captain and on Saturday evening gave an inspirational address at the team meeting.

The Aberdeen AAC athlete spoke about the highs and lows in her career – and even about trying another sport when she came close to Winter Olympic selection in bobsleigh.

Kelsey was first picked for Loughborough back in 2014 as a 17-year-old for GB and NI Juniors and it was brilliant to see her joined again in Scotland’s Class of 2024 by Zoey Clark and Kathryn Christie – who were in that 2014 event with Scotland.

In terms of new to the scene, we reckon no fewer than a dozen athletes making first Senior Scotland appearance in track and field: Stewart Greenhalgh, Thomas Evans, Ben Heron, Jack Patton, Oliver Patton, Cameron Thores, Calum Newby, Omar Bajo, Hannah Anderson, Stefanie Tucker, Sara Barbour, Meghan Porterfield.

Nick Percy has a fantastic record in the Loughborough Internationl and he bossed the Men’s discus once again.

It was full points there for Scotland as Nick threw out to 62.29m on his return to competition in the UK after those recent very big throws in the United States.

Will Grimsey competed as a Guest and he took the Men’s High Jump competition with a leap of 2.23m – then attempting 2.26 (which would have been a PB).

Hannah Anderson added to the tally in endurance as she came up with the best performance of her career to win the Women’s Mile race.

Hannah made all the right moves and then, lying second with 300m remaining, grabbed the race for herself by pushing through to the front and pulling away from the England athlete. The Scot was rewarded with a 4:41.73 PB run.

Steven Bryce certainly loves the Loughborough track – as he won the Para 1500m for third year in a row!

The Scot, coached by Steve Doig, led from gun to tape and had the strength on the home straight to win in fine style from England’s Brandon Ballard in 4:08.03.

Alyson Bell was second in the Women’s 100m Match race as she clocked 11.62.

Thomas Evans was another to take a secone place with a PB run of 46.60 over 400m as Zoey Clark continued her comeback in the Women’s one-lap race.

+++

(Photo by Bobby Gavin)

There were some good performances by our relay teams with the Senior Women taking second in their Match race, with Jane Davidson on the anchor leg.

But pride of place in that regard fell to our Women’s 4x100m Development Team who – subject to ratification – set new Scottish Records for U17 and U20.

The U20 mark had been at 46.27 but the following quartet posted 45.91: Tehillah Ikechukwu-Okonkwo, Sophie Thomas, Emma Clark and Kishi Aremu.

Brothers Jack and Oliver Patton both represented Scotland at Senior level for the first time.

Oliver was fifth in the Men’s 3000m steeplechase in 9:26.25 while Jack clocked 4:13.03 in the Gandy Mile race.

Among the field events, Meghan Porterfield was at 41.86m in the Women’s discus – enough to beat her GB Juniors opponent. Dawn Russell threw 45.05 in the javelin and Amy Kennedy was at 13.23 in the shot.

Calum Newby took fourth in the Men’s pole vault with 4.95m his best clearance.

Krishawn Aiken took third for Scotland in the Men’s 200m with 21.61 as Dean Patterson, for GB Juniors, clocked 22.25 (and looking as though possibly cramping up).

In the 800m races, Stephen Mackay was fourth in 1:52.29 and Hannah Cameron was fifth in 2:07.60.

The event closed out with Scott Hopper and Greg Millar featuring in the javelin and our 4x400m Relay teams successfully getting the baton round with solid runs.

Big thank you to our staff team for helping with the Loughborough International with the lineup a combination of volunteers and governing body staff.

Thanks, too, to the many coaches, parents and other family members who supported Scottish athletes on Sunday #SALtogether.