Stornoway Running and Athletics Club
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Stornoway Running and Athletics Club |
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SRAC Athletes Get P.B’s at Scottish National Track and Field Champioinships Click here to see Adrienne's Photo Gallery of this trip For the second successive weekend young athletes from Stornoway Running and Athletics Club travelled to Grangemouth, this time to compete in the under 13, 15, 17 age group Scottish track and field Championships.
First to their marks for the starter’s gun were Ruaraidh Stewart and Pat Sattaphol in the men’s under 17 100meter heats. Both Ruairidh and Pat put in good efforts but unfortunately did not go forward to the final, both running about three tenths down on their best times. In their 200meters Pat led his heat through the first 100meters, coming off the curve the pressure was on and Pat slowed in the straight and unfortunately failed to make the final. Ruaraidh had a good start and closed in on the race leaders in the final 80meters but against strong competition prevented further progression in the event.
Under 13 middle distance runner Campbell MacDonald (a graduate of the “Mighty Tolsta” school of cross-country running) was also going to need a really good run to progress in his event. Campbell’s target was to run his 800 meters in between 2minutes 28 and 2minutes 31, a big ask as his previous best was 2minutes 37! However a spirited performance saw Campbell chase the leading two runners to clock a qualifying time and personal best (P.B.) time of 2minutes 29! From an entry of forty two entrants Campbell posted the 7th fastest qualifying time for the final. Campbell’s PB in the 800m was not the only new best for the day though. He jumped to a new P.B. in the long jump, a change in technique following coaching session with Jackie Scott saw him sail past his previous best of 3meters 77 to 4meters 01 to finish tenth overall. Unfortunately his exertions took their toll in the final of the 800meters where he placed eighth with a slightly slower time of 2.31.
Day two brought further success for the young SRAC athletes as Calum Robertson, Alasdair Summers and Robert Jones accomplished P.B’s! Calum’s main event for the day was the javelin and he threw just to form without hitting out a big one that would have ensured a P.B. and high placing. Calum who seems to be able to consistently throw 26-27 meters did just that with a 26m 25 and took eighth place in the final. Training with a good team group of 800meter runners did help him to a best time of 2minutes 25 in that event.
Robert Jones times continue to fall this season as he put in two terrific runs in the heat’s and final of the 800meters! In the heat he ran with the pack through the first lap before taking to the front, only to be overtaken in the last 60meters but easily qualified in second place and took his B.P. down a second to 2minutes 15. The final of the 800meters provided a thrilling and exciting race for the SARC supporters. Robert stayed with the pack of top runners in this event and a further improvement of two seconds resulted in a new P.B. of 2minutes 13. From a starting point of 2minutes 29 at the start of the season this really is an applaudable improvement! Alasdair Summers (in his first season in athletics) was third in his 100meter heat in a new P.B. of 12.41 seconds to qualifying for the final. This was an impressive run from Alasdair as a injury at the schools track championships earlier in the summer had kept him out of training for some weeks. Alasdair finished sixth in the final with a slightly slower time, but also recorded a P.B. in the 200meters of 25.75seconds.
Despite the “up’s and down’s” with the accommodation and the boy’s having to put up with Itchy and Scratchy (Adrienne and Lesley) the SRAC lads had an eventful, fun and successful weekend! SRAC thank Lewis and Harris Sports Council for supporting the weekend’s activity. Meanwhile the Beijing Olympics appears to have resulted in a mini boom at the weekly training session at Smith Avenue Track! SRAC are naturally encouraged by the big attendance and are glad to accept further “new comers” any Saturday between 10.30am and 11.30am (£1.50/ session).
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