Trio of golds as Scottish medal tally rises to fab 15 at UK Champs

Sunday 21st June 2026

Photos by Getty Images for British Athletics

*Report subject to scrutiny and corrections on Monday.

Sarah Calvert shocked Birmingham some 12 months ago with UK Champs gold in the Women’s 1500m – and it felt so good the Livingston AC athlete did it again.

Sarah’s gold crowned the Scottish medal tally with Laura Muir on the podium for bronze in that final event of a thrilling weekend.

Jake Wightman had not long vacated the top spot with his celebrations in full swing after success in the Men’s 800m final that went down to the wire.

With Chris Bennett over 70m in the hammer for third, the Scottish feelgood factor spanned the disciplines.

Scottish athletes had landed six medals during the day one action on Saturday – with Stephen Mackenzie‘s 8.15m leap for a new Long Jump Scottish Record very much the highlight.

*Sarah Calvert won gold in the Women’s 1500m as Laura Muir took bronze.

*Jake Wightman came up with a winning finish to land 800m gold.

*Chris Bennett was a hammer bronze medallist on his return to this level with a best throw of 70.12m.

*Kirsty Law took silver in the Women’s discus on her farewell to the UK Champs.

*Andy Butchart was second in the Men’s 5000m final as he clocked 13:27.52

*Finlay Menzies won gold in the Frame Running 100m – a first time event at the UK Champs – as Gavin Drysdale landed silver.

*Kyle Brotherton was third in the Wheelchair 1500m to collect bronze

In addition to the 15 medals, Sophie Thomas was fifth in the Women’s 200m final with her 23.10 run a new Scottish U20 Record. Congratulations!

The Women’s 1500m final – with four Scots – almost felt like watching a re-run of last year. Laura and Erin Wallace wer ein contention for teh winuntil Sarah calvert seized glory as Katie Snowden took silver.

‘I think last year was a surprise, I’m even more shocked because I thought last year might have even been a fluke,’ said Livingston AC’s Sarah.

‘But everything has to come together at the end of the day, so for it to come together two days in a row, I’m super happy with that. I can’t believe it’s happened again.

‘It went out a lot faster than last year. I knew if it was slow, tactical race that would favour me, so when it went out a bit faster I tried to stay calm and follow the plan. The plan was the same if it was really slow or fast, ‘just wait for that last 120m’ and that’s what I did.’

There was a PB in seventh place for Beth Ansell in that race. Beth was delighted with 4:12.15.

Jake Wightman, pre selected for the mile at Glasgow 2026, could yet return to Birmingham for the Europeans.

‘It was always going to be a battle going down the home straight. I am just trying to get that feeling of staying relaxed and running my own race and I feel like I did that better today.

‘I go into a champs knowing that I can run the best out of myself at a championships. If I can get close to 100% of myself in a race and I don’t make a mistake, I hope that makes me dangerous.

‘I feel like today I was close to that, it’s just knowing and having the confidence that I can run well when it matters. It’s a big tool to have, I’ve had it from a young age. When you get older and continue to develop the skills to pull it ff, you really see the results.’

Towards the end of the afternoon, the track finals came thick and fast.

Hannah Cameron clocked a fine 2:03.57 to take sixth place in the Women’s 800m final won by Georgia Hunter-Bell.

The Women’s 400m final looked stacked and Nicole Yeargin took fourth with 51.29 as Rebecca Grieve followed her home in seventh place. Rebecca posted 52.75.

Three of our athletes contested the Men’s 1500m final. It did not quite go as they would have wanted with Neil Gourley in sixth place and Cameron Boyek in seventh. Garscube Harriers youngster James Alexander will be better for his weekend experience as he finished ninth.

Andy Butchart was reasonably satisfied with silver in the Men’s 5000m final won by David Mullarkey.

The double Olympian, wearing his yellow Central AC vest, was fourth as the athletes went into the home straight but kicked hard to make the podium in 13:27.52.

For the second day in a row, silver in the discus started the Scottish medal count.

Kirsty Law, suffering from back and hip issues, threw 49.71 to make the podium for the 14^th time at her 21^st appearance at the UK Champs.

‘I didn’t expect it to be so emotional,’ said the 39-year-old, with Erin Brown of Falkirk Vics fifth at47.10m.

‘When I finished, I was hopping in the circle I was just thinking ‘Oh My God!’. Jade Lally told me to take it all in, going into the Call Room, coming into the stadium, and I just enjoyed it.

‘This is my 21^st British Championships and there are two girls in the competition today who are 19 . . . I’ve been going two years longer than they have been alive!’

In the Men’s shot put, a PB at 15.91 gave Euan Urquhart seventh place.

Sophie Thomas contested her second final in 24 hours after fine 23.24 run in the Women’s 200m heats to progress. After sixth in the 100m final, it was fifth over 200m with Sophie gaining on rivals over the closing 50m or so.

In the men’s 200m heats, Krishawn Aiken was at 21.35 and Dean Patterson at 21.43.

Peter Bradshaw took a solid fifth place in the Men’s 3000m steeplechase final. Mhairi Patience was fourth in the Women’s 400m Hurdles final with SB run of 58.70.

In the Para programme, it was good to see Frame Running included for the first time in the UK Champs.

World medallist Finlay Menzies won a tight race in Gavin Drysdale as Chris Jaquin posted a PB in a different classification. Finlay duly collected gold and Gavin a silver.

‘It is great the event has been included in the UK Champs for the first time as people will see that and become more aware,’ said Finlay.

Kyle Brotherton took third in the Men’s 1500m wheelchair final to add another Scottish medal.

Racing in the women’s ambulant 100m were Elizabeth Dodds and Cara Murphy.