Jax soars to Glasgow 2026 pole vault mark and Nikki leaps Native Record

Monday 12th January 2026

Nikki Manson leaps to Native Record (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Jax Thoirs soared to a Glasgow 2026 qualifying standard and Nikki Manson leapt to a new Scottish Indoor Native Record at the 4J National Open on Sunday.

As the name suggests, the event stands as an open graded meet staged indoors within a national events contest.

The focus is thus both on participation and on performance.

And it certainly felt as if both boxes were well and truly ticked at the Emirates Arena on Sunday.

The Glasgow venue felt busy in all areas and as to be expected with no fewer than 787 names on start-lists.

Men and women, boys and girls, and often all age groups, lined up to compete – each with their own 2026 goals in mind.

As the programme unfolded, our superb scottishathletics qualified Officials, distinctively dressed in purple and red, made sure the event ran smoothly.

We say it so often but that is because it is valid: Officials make our events happen (every year and across disciplines).

Jax Thoirs on his way to Glasgow 2026 pole vault qualifying standard (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Nikki opened her season with a Native Indoor Record for the Women’s Long Jump. Nikki leapt to 6.38m to improve her own mark (6.37m from 2023).

Also in long jump, Shettleston’s Joseph Lanahan leapt to 6.99m for a Scottish U16 Record.

Then Jax was centre-stage towards the end of the afternoon and didn’t he relish only a second comp in six years!

The bar was cleared at 5.32m with the Team Scotland Commonwealth Games standard set at 5.31m. Brilliant to see.

Field eventers were to the fore with Kilmarnock athlete, Rhian Mitchell, throwing 18.00m in the shot to land a Euro U18 standard.

There were recognisable faces everywhere and in the sprints Alyson Bell opened up her season with 7.37 for 60m and 23.47 for 200m. Cameron Tindle took the men’s 60m top race with a PB run of 6.86 but Gkontouin Imante had the better of the 200m as he clocked 21.84 (with Cameron on 21.85 and Owen Murphy at 21.88, both PBs).

Luc Macleod clocked 48.45 in the 400m and Joshua Mungin went sub 3:50 in the 1500m with 3:49.81.

Holly Whittaker was our U17 Athlete of the Year in 2025 and posted a PB in the 60m hurdles with 8.55.