Neil lands British title in Manchester monsoon – as four more Scots take silvers

Sunday 9th July 2023

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Save the best to last.

Neil Gourley came up with a terrific performance in the final event of the UK Champs to give Scotland a British champion.

The Giffnock North AC athlete produced a decisive kick over the closing stages of a final played out in torrential rain in Manchester.

It booked his place for the World Champs in Budapest on a day when Laura Muir and Jemma Reekie did so with silver medal performances.

Katie Snowden edged past Muir at the close of the Women’s 1500m final while Jemma came home behind Keely Hodgkinson’s Stadium Record in the Women’s 800m final. Jemma’s 1:58.93 was SB performance.

There were silver medals in the field, too, for Scots as Kirsty Law finished second in the Women’s discus and Will Grimsey in the Men’s High Jump.

Josh Kerr had to settle for fifth in the Men’s 800m final and the Women’s 400m final saw Nicole Yeargin take sixth place in 52.01. Carys McAulay was seventh in 52.98.

‘I have not had racing conditions like that for a while so it was fun!’ grinned Neil afterwards.

‘I did very little until the last 50m I would say. I sat in and just took my time, just wanting to be patient.

‘I knew I didn’t have the perfect frame today but as long as I was near enough I knew I had another gear to go past those guys so I stuck to the plan and it worked.’

Nick Percy had set the ball rolling in terms of the Scottish medal tally on Saturday evening.

Shortly before the thunderstorms struck at the Manchester Regional Arena, he took silver in the discus competition with a best throw of 61.26m.

That total was to be augmented further on Sunday, with the following podium moments . . .

GOLD: Neil Gourley 1500m

SILVER: Laura Muir 1500m; Jemma Reekie 800m; Kirsty Law Discus; Will Grimsey High Jump; Nick Percy Discus

Kirsty Law was content that a Season’s Best throw of 57.30m brought her discus silver.

‘I’ve missed four months of training due to injury and I’m currently competing with another injury, so with my overall performance I’m happy and I know there is more to come,’ said Kirsty.

‘I had doubts about even competing at the championships so I decided to just come and enjoy myself

‘I am very very happy with this performance, I had to work hard as I wasn’t in great shape coming into the competition.’

Final places for Scots was a theme all weekend.

So it was brilliant to see Ewan Bradley progress in the Men’s sprint hurdles and Georgina Adam in the Women’s 200m.

Ewan posted a PB in the heat and then finished eighth while Georgina clocked 23.08 for SB in the final – as she finished fifth.

Aidan Quinn and Henry Clarkson featured in the Men’s Triple Jump final with Aidan placed fifth (15.45) and Henry sixth (15.40).

Chris Bennett was fourth in the Men’s Hammer final. Chris improved throughout with 69.00m in the final round but he was a metre or so adrift of the podium.

Teddy Tchoudja took fifth place in the Women’s shot with 14.44m her best throw.

Three Scots featured in the Women’s 5000m final – Kirsty Walker, Holly Rees and Steph Twell. Former winner Steph moved through there to finish in fourth place.

Jack Lawrie was in the mix for much of the 400m Hurdles final but ultimately had to settle for fifth place. The Scottish Record holder clocked 50.82 in that race.