Commonwealth Youth Games medal joy for Dean and Caleb in Trinidad

Friday 11th August 2023

Photos with thanks to Alison Grey and Allan Hamilton

Team Scotland’s track and field athletes headed homewards from Trinbago 2023 with two medals.

Dean Patterson took a fine silver in the Men’s 200m on the final night of action at the Haseley Crawford Stadium.

Half an hour earlier Caleb McLeod had come up with strong second lap to clinch a deserved bronze medal in the Men’s 800m to the delight of the Scottish contingent.

With Lidya Woldeselassie becoming the first Scottish Para athlete to compete at this event, the Commonwealth Youth Games memories and experience will remain strong for our eight teenagers – albeit Corey Campbell’s last minute injury was a hard-to-bear blow.

Dean went into the Men’s 200m final after a superb run in the semis gave him a new PB of 21.15.

Nigerian athlete Samuel Ogazi was always a threat and came strongly off the bend to take it in 21.22 with the Scot home in second in 21.45.

The Glasgow School of Sport athlete, who raced for GB and NI at the Euro U18s last summer in Israel, continues to build his international experience and it was great to see him grabbing the Saltire in the stadium and making the podium.

Trinbago 2023 Results

Caleb came up with a strong run when it mattered in the Men’s 800m final.

The Pitreavie AAC athlete had comfortably come through his heat but was just outside the medal positions at the bell as the Kenyan and the England athletes headed the field.

Caleb however worked hard to close the gap on the back straight and then fought hard for bronze in 1:52.83.

It was tough for the two Scots in the 3000m finals with conditions in Trinidad very warm and the races scheduled around 4pm local time.

Amy Teasdale competed first in the Women’s race and came home in ninth place in 10:22.27.

The Men’s race over the same 3k distance saw Fife AC athlete Reiss Marshall working hard to remain in touch in the early stages before finishing in eighth place in 8:45.01.

In the Women’s High Jump, Jenna Hilditch had a best clearance of 1.65m to finish sixth in a strong competition.

*There was a sixth place finish for Millie McClelland-Brooks in the Women’s 1500m final, after progress from the heats.

The Inverclyde AC/Glasgow School of Sport athlete clocked 4:30.51 in a race which saw the existing CYG Record, held by Erin Wallace at 4:16, broken at 4:12.

*Shettleston Harriers athlete Lidya Woldeselassie took seventh place in the T35-38 100m final in Trinidad.

Lidya had qualified with a PB run in the heats (19.23) and came up with another PB in the final (19.14). Lidya then finished sixth in the T38 Long Jump final.

It’s the first time Para athletics has featured in the Commonwealth Youth Games – great to see inclusive athletics happening at that level.

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Corey Campbell unfortunately missed out on competing in Trinidad through injury.

The Team East Lothian athlete picked up a quad issue in one of the final training sessions after hving been selected for both the 1500m and 3000m. We wish Corey all the best for his recovery.

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Tags: Caleb McLeod, Commonwealth Youth Games, Dean Patterson, Trinbago23