Trio picked for GB; Isla U17 Record; Callum to race in Glasgow

Wednesday 19th June 2019

Selected for GB – Andrew Murphy (Combined Events) and Para duo Alexander Thomson and Abbie McNally (montage by Sue Gyford)

GB team announcement for Euro CE Champs

Scotland’s Andrew Murphy will head for Ukraine early next month after selection by British Athletics for the European Combined Events Team Champs.

The Kilbarchan AAC athlete has been picked in a team of eight following a decathlon PB earlier this month of 7427 points at the IAAF meeting in Arona, Spain.

It’s another fillip for the CE community in Scotland as a whole with GB appearances having become a regular feature in recent years at both age group and Senior level.

Congratulations to Andrew, his family and coach Colin Sinclair on being picked for the event in Lutsk on July 6/7.

GB team announcement for WPA Junior Champs

Scottish Para sprinters Abbie McNally and Alexander Thomson are heading for the World Para Athletics Junior Champs in Switzerland in August.

The pair are part of a 15-strong team selected by British Athletics for the event in Nottwil from August 1-4. Leading the team is former Scotland international athlete and Cambuslang Harriers runner, Sarah Benson.

Abbie is a T37 sprinter coached by Charlie Forbes at Inverness Harriers and will compete over 100 and 200m. Similarly, Alexander is coached by Thomas Graham at Red Star AC and will race over 100m/200m. Both are in the U20 age group.

Congratulations to Abbie and Alexander and their families, coaches and clubs on these selections.

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Athletes from the 4J Studios National Athletics Academy have been hitting great form recently and Isla Calvert of Livingston is firmly to the fore.

The U17 athlete had a run over 800m pending for approval as a new Scottish Record from the Scottish Schools earlier this month prior to racing in Manchester on Tuesday night.

Calvert duly clocked 2.05.09 to break her own mark at this distance (2.06.33 from Grangemouth) which will be a new Record, subject to the usual ratification procedures.

Well done to Isla, her family, coach Sandra Hardacre and all at Livingston AC and the 4J Studios National Athletics Academy helping with her development.

Isla was by no means alone in terms of PB performances as Scottish athletes took to the track at the British Milers Club meeting at Trafford.

Joining her were a number of others to post PB and SB performances as part of the scottishathletics Middle Distance Project which looks to raise standards at 800m/1500m/3000m and, well, is doing what it says on the tin thanks to the efforts of committed athletes and coaches.

Here’s the summary:

3000m: Ben Potrykus 8:30.56pb; Cameron Watson 8:39.45pb; Colin Reilly 8:55.24pb; Callum Tharme 8:56.78sb; Annabel Simpson 9:26.51pb; Zoe Pflug 9:44.94pb

800m: Isla Calvert 2:05.09pb; Charlotte Clare 2:10.25pb; Gary McPake 1:57.95pb; Ewan Dyer 1:51.97; Christopher Boyle 1:55.20sb

1500m: Sol Sweeney 3:51.27; Connor MacLean 3:51.74pb; Adam Hay 3:57.00pb; Jamie MacKinnon 4:00.61; Peter Bradshaw 4:02.86pb; James Gillon 4:03.42; Alastair Marshall 4:07.94; Ross Whitelaw 4:08.82; Nynke Mulholland 4:34.51pb; Meredith Reid 4:46.65pb

With thanks to Mark Pollard

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READ MORE – preview by Bellahouston Harriers

Three Olympians and the recently-crowned Scottish 5k champion headline a stellar list of entrants for the Brian Goodwin Memorial 10k on Friday – organised by Bellahouston Harriers.

Scottish marathon record holder and former course record holder Callum Hawkins joins fellow Rio 2016 competitor and brother Derek on the startlist, along with six-time winner of the national cross-country championships Freya Ross.

In total, more than 25 of the 500+ entrants are shooting for a time of 33 minutes or under in what promises to be one of the fastest and most competitive 10k races anywhere in Scotland in 2019.

Arguably favourite for the women’s race is Central AC’s Morag Millar, who won the Scottish 5k title at Silverknowes in a course-record of 15:49.

Leading the challenge could be Elspeth Curran of Kilbarchan AAC, the 2017 winner; Jenny Bannerman of Inverness Harriers, winner in 2016 and 2018; and Metro Aberdeen’s Fiona Brian.

Among the men’s contenders could be James Donald, Michael Christoforou, Calum McKenzie and John Bell.

With thanks to Stuart Miller

 

Tags: 4J Studios National Athletics Academy, Abbie McNally, Alexander Thomson, Andrew Murphy, Bellahouston Harriers, Brian Goodwin 10k, Callum Hawkins, CE Euro Team Champs, Isla Calvert, Morag Millar, Switzerland, WPA Junior Champs

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