Family ties so important for Katie and Rhys at 4J Age Groups

Sunday 2nd March 2025

Scottish champion Katie Sandilands is flanked by fellow medallists Alice Mourao (on left) and Tuscany Wright on the U20 Women’s podium (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Age Groups Results

Katie Sandilands claimed gold at the 4J Age Groups in the Women’s U20 1500m final – then revealed her Paralympic champion brother Ben is always her inspiration.

In fact, Katie watched online footage of Ben’s Paris win on Sunday morning shortly before her own victory at the Emirates Arena.

It was a good weekend for the Sandilands family with Katie adding that gold to 800m silver the previous day and Ben the fastest lap in the popular Allan Scally Memorial Relays down the road from the Emirates at Glasgow Green.

Come this Saturday and both will return to the Emirates as part of a Q and A panel for our Athletics Trust Scotland Young People’s Forum gathering.

The Conference is entitled ‘Inspiring the Next Generation’ and that might have been a theme for Sunday when out U13 Champs are bracketed with the second half of the U20 programme – it always feels as if the younger athlete can look around and see the pathway.

‘I’m delighted to win the 1500m gold because I won it here two years ago at U20 as well,’ said Katie.

‘Ben is a massive inspiration to me. One of my things now pre-race is to watch back his race in Paris when he won Paralympic gold in the T20 1500m. It reminds me what is possible.

‘I watched it in the car park at the Emirates before I came in to race and it makes me cry every time . . .

‘I am involved with the YPF and enjoy contributing. We are all looking forward to the Conference and myself and Ben are on a panel of guests for the Q and A which will be fun. I look forward to hearing insights from the speakers and panellists.’

Also at U20 level, the men’s long jump was a really competitive event with only 19cm separating the top three. In the end, gold went to Louis Whyte of Edinburgh AC with 7.07m.

There was a Championship Best in the Men’s 400m final as Dylan McCulloch of Pitreavie AAC clocked 47.85 seconds with an impressive run. Emma Clark won the U20 Women’s 200m with her 24.06 very close to her Scottish U17 Record in the event (24.04).

Photo by Bobby Gavin

Family ties, like Katie and Ben above, are important at all levels and there was another example in our U13 Champs.

Rhys Porterfield claimed gold in that age group in the shot with a best throw of 10.21m. That will be a Scottish Record at U13 for the youngster.

The name and the Whitemoss AAC vest ensured no powers of deduction were required to confirm this is the son of Commonwealth Games athlete, and accomplished Masters thrower, Mhairi Porterfield. So Rhys is the wee brother of Scotland U20 international Meghan.

There were further Scottish U13 Record performances by Blake Burchill (Harmeny) and Gabi Whyte (Perth Strathtay) in the 800m and Harrison Brand of East Kilbride AC in the 200m.

Well done, too, to Karley Paterson of Aberdeen AAC as she won three golds.

Scottish Champions at U13

Girls 60mH – Jess Brown (Kilmarnock Harriers) 10.25
Boys 60mH – Christopher Watt (Harmeny AC) 9.91
Girls 60m – Karley Paterson (Aberdeen AAC) 8.43
Boys 60m – Harrison Brand (East Kilbride AC) 7.90
Girls 800m – Gabi Whyte (Perth Strathtay) 2:20.86
Boys 800m – Blake Burchill (Harmeny AC) 2:11.62
Girls 1500m – Jessica Davidson (Aberdeen AAC) 5:07.41
Boys 1500m – Callum Cooke (Kilmarnock Harriers) 4:49.99
Girls 200m – Karley Paterson (Aberdeen AAC) 27.44
Boys 200m – Harrison Brand (East Kilbride AC) 26.12

Boys Shot Put – Rhys Porterfield (Whitemoss AAC) 10.21m
Boys High Jump – Alexander Robson-Lamb (Blyth RC) 1.43m
Girls Shot Put – Amy Pender (VP-Glasgow) 9.44
Girls Long Jump – Karley Paterson (Aberdeen AAC) 4.56m
Girls High Jump – Isla Woodburn (Tweed Leader) 1.47m
Boys Long Jump – Hugo Stewart (Giffnock North) 4.52m

Scottish Champions at U20

Women 60mH – Darcie Black (Dunfermline Track and Field) 9.01
Men 60mH – Angus Rennie (Giffnock North) 8.46
Women 1500m – Katie Sandilands (Fife AC) 4:45.25
Men 1500m – Josh Scott (Livingston AC) 3:53.47
Women 400m – Annie McLean (Glasgow School of Sport) 56.38
Men 400m – Dylan McCulloch (Pitreavie AAC) 47.85
Men 200m – Gkontouin Imante (Shettleston Harriers) 21.97
Women 200m – Emma Clark (Whitemoss AAC) 24.06

Men Long Jump – Louis Whyte (Edinburgh AC) 7.07m
Women Long Jump – Victoria Anestik (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) 5.64m
Women Pole Vault – Charis Crawford (Springburn Harriers) 3.44m
Men Pole Vault – Rudi May (City of Sheffield) 4.51m
Women High Jump – Leanne Elliot (Cumbernauld AAC) 1.62m
Men Shot Put 6k – Logan Mitchell (Kilmarnock Harriers) 13.98m

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Tags: 4J Age Group Champs, 4J Age Groups, Emirates Arena