The 131st Eric Liddell Scottish Athletics Senior and U17 National Championships took place this weekend at Grangemouth Sport Stadium with Shettleston Harriers athletes taking home medals and gaining impressive PB’s in a range of events.
The meeting took on special significance for the Club after Secretary John Mackay discovered a letter from Eric Liddell amongst the Club’s archives. In 1925 the then Club Secretary, HW Harvey, had written to Eric Liddell inviting him to take part in the Club’s next open sports meeting, hoping to attract a larger crowd of spectators and ensure the financial success of the event. Eric had to decline the invitation unfortunately due to the date clashing with another event. At the weekend the letter from Eric to the Club was presented to John MacMillan Chief Executive Officer of The Eric Liddell Community and Colin Hutchieson Chief Executive of Scottish Athletics for their own archives.
In the competition Abraham Lanahan claimed the first medal of the weekend for Shettleston Harriers on Saturday, a silver in the U17M Triple Jump with a jump of 12.76m. Club member, Annie McLean, competing this weekend for Glasgow School of Sport won bronze with third in the U17W 300m final (40.65). Also running for GSoS was Callum Thomson who reached the semi-finals of the U17M 100m, where he ran a time of 11:95. Estelle Giraud was competing on Saturday in the U17W High Jump and had a best height of 1.28m.
Estelle was competing again on Sunday in the U17W Shot Put with a best throw of 7.35m and the U17W 200m (30.61). Team-mate Teddy Tchoudja was in the medals in the Senior Women’s Shot Put competition. Her best throw of 13.08m securing second place and the silver medal. Also throwing well was Chris Bennett. Chris was second in the Senior Mens Hammer with a throw of 59.99m
On track Katie Woods was on the podium with a silver medal in the U17W 1500m Steeplechase in a time of 5:26.31 and in the U17W field events Lidya Woldeselassie was on sparkling form with Personal Best’s in both the Discus (17.78m) and Long Jump (2.60m). Philip Neilson just missed out on qualifying for the Senior Men’s 1500m final by less than four tenths of a second (4:02.30).
Away from the track there was further success for Shettleston Harriers at the Paisley 10k Road Race. Jamie Burns won the event overall in a time of 30:13 (PB) with Seyd Taha Ghafari coming in third (30:26). In the Women’s race Suzi Blake finished 6th overall with a time of 38:08 (PB). Other athletes who took part in the event were Andrew Shields (35:34), Ian Gray (42:12), Joe Haughey (45:11), Emma Purdie (48.02), Kirsten Vieira Da Luz (49:03) Victoria Leiper (49:31) and Bob Porteous (57:57). Well done to all.
In the east Gerry Pelgri finished 45th in the Musselburgh Half Marathon in a time on 1:21.03 with Toby Hession not far behind at 1:29:55 to come home in 105th. Further north in the Nairn Half Marathon Marc McColl recorded a time of 1:25:00.
The Hill Runners were also in competition on Saturday in the north of the country at the Tap O’Noth Hill Race in Rhynie, Aberdeenshire. It was a successful day for the club winning the overall Team prize with 22 points from Edinburgh University Hare and Hounds (33 points) and Carnethy Hill Racing Club (35 points). The highlights of the individual results were Harry Pulham (33:23.0) and Fred Davies (33:51.5) finishing fifth and seventh overall, Gemma Griffiths (44:41.8) 10th overall in the Female category with CJ Macphail (45:59.6) in 12th, Iain Pender finishing third in the Male V40 category (36:53.8) and Kenny Richmond third (38:05.9) and John Connaghan fourth (39:16) in the Male V50. Congratulations to the whole team that included Chris Pantrey, Angus Rodney, Jonathan Fairgrieve, Ross Cruickshanks, Bill Breckeridge, Alistair Pringle, Stephen Winter, Bobby Curtis, Rodrigo Reis, Ceana Heron and Gavin Finbow. Full results are available at – https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=362370&did=469161
Good runs from everyone including John Duffy, John Craig, Emma, Michael and Ruth
With various races on at the weekend Club member attendance at the parkruns were down, however that didn’t stop some great performances.
At Coventry parkrun, Ruth Joss was first lady in 19.28. Back in Scotland Bryony Macleod was running the Aviemore parkrun in a time of 25.17. At Camperdown parkrun, Matthew Low finished in a time of 24.39.
It was Back to business as usual at Falkirk parkrun where Michael Paxton secured 3rd overall in a time of 17.47. At Tollcross Parkrun, John Craig finished in 3rd *in a time of 19.07, with Joanne Harkins in 31.37. At Drumpellier Parkrun, Emma McKinnon was 4th female in 25.32. Well done to Emma.
Back to the southside of Glasgow where Susan Breckenridge finished the Queens Parkrun in a time of 26.44. At Elder Parkrun, Denis Williams ran 20.10 for 6th overall with Raymond Loughran performing sweeper duties in 48.55.
Finally at Palacerigg Parkrun, John Duffy was 4th overall in a time of 20.10