This weekend saw the highlight of our U/13, U/15 and U/20 athletes season when the National Championships took place at Grangemouth. The contrast in weather couldn’t have been more different with athletes dealing with cool and very windy conditions on Saturday and then on Sunday warm calm conditions -It can only happen in Scotland. The club is very grateful to all the coaches -Jackie Alexander, Gordon Bury, Tracey Fox, Tom Harrison, Paul Roberts, Elaine Mackay, John Mackay and Andrew Millican who were on hand all weekend to support our athletes. A big thanks to our parents for supporting our young athletes.
It was golden weekend for a number of athletes and also a weekend of numerous PB performances over different disciplines on the track and field.
As mentioned earlier athletes had to deal with winds of up to 7 M/S on Saturday and this certainly affects performances. Abraham Lanahan (U/15) moved to 10th all time in the Triple Jump when winning Gold with a leap of 12.78(+2.2), his legal jump of 12.47(+1.6) moved him into the record books. If the wind speed is over 2M/S it is considered over the legal limit. Abraham followed up his win in the Triple Jump with a 6th place in Long Jump 5.53(+3.1).
His older teammate, Godwin Imante, has been in sparkling form over the summer picking up his first Scottish vest in Germany and again produced the goods to win the U/20 200m in a time of 21.98(+5.1). Jonathan Hooper( School of Sport/Shettleston) finished 4th in a time of 22.40 just missing out in a medal but he is looking forward to competing in the UK Schools in Loughborough with fellow Shettleston athletes – Annie McLean, Katie Woods and Lidya Woldeselassie in late August. Fantastic achievement for all these athletes being selected for the Scottish team. Maynard Conteh just missed out in the final being 9th in the heats with only 8 going forward for the final in a time of 23.12(+2.3).
Young athletes, Leia Connelly and Esme Guinea, both U/15 gained valuable experience competing in their first National Championships over the sprint events
Leia -100m 14.11 and Hurdles 14.81 wind speeds both (+3.8 ) and Esme -100m 15.06 (+1.80 and 200m 31.79(+2.2) . Another young athlete in this age group was Louise Clifford who just missed her Personal Best in the Javelin with a throw of 19.11m.
On Sunday it was the chance of our U/13 athletes and further opportunity for the U/20 athletes. A feature of these championships is U/17 athletes can move up an age group as Jonathan Hooper and Ava Millican did.
The stars on Sunday were U/13 athletes, Joseph Lanahan and Ciaran Curley, who both claimed National titles but again a number of athletes secured PB performances and made finals.
Joseph was in great form as he has been all season, claiming titles over 100m -Final 12.41 (-0.8) but faster in the semi 12.35(-0.8) PB), 200m – Final 29.95 (-2.2) but faster in the heat 25.63(-1.5) PB)and Long Jump 5.59 (+0.2) which was a Championships best performance. His performance in the 100m put him 3rd on the all time performance list with him improving his Scottish Record to 5.59m, Well done Joseph
Ciaran also had the Golden feeling winning the 75m H smashing his PB with a run of 13.38(-1.3).
Zoe Roberts ( School of Sport/Shettleston) was very unlucky just missing out on the 800m title when pipped on the line after leading for most of the race to claim silver in a time of 2.26.21.
With Arianna Obiora (100m), Molly Brown and Zoe Roberts (200m) both U/13 making the finals of the sprints and Godwin Imante (100m -withdrew with a tight hamstring) and Ava Millican U/17 (400m) both making finals of the U/20 events it was great day.
As mentioned it was a busy day with athletes competing in a number events : Results below
100m
U/13 Arianna Obiora 100m Final 14.26(-1.2) 6th -heats 13.89(+1.2)
Molly Brown 100m Semi -Final 14.17 (+0.5); Amelia Rose McGurn 16.61 (+1.1)
U/20 Godwin Imante -Semi 10.89 (+0.7); Jonathan Hooper -Semi 11.36 (-0.8) in heat 11.29(-0.2)
Maynard Conteh -Semi 11.60(-0.8)
200m
U/13 Zoe Roberts -Final 30.00 7th (-2.0) in Heats 29.65 (-1.0); Molly Brown -Final 30.40 8th (-2.0) in heat 30.14 (+1.2)
400m
U/20 Ava Millican (U/17) Final 6th 61.66 -in heat 61.20
800m
U/13 Ciaran Curley 2.39.21 , Naod Woldeselassie 2.49.50
1500m
U/13 Charlotte Reilly 5.56.13 PB, Thierry Giraud 5.53.28, Tristan Giraud 6.04.70
U/20 Joseph Reilly 4.58.60
Long Jump
Arianna Obiora 3m55 (+1.7), Zoe Roberts 3.48 (-0.8)
Javelin
Ethan Hooper 18.86 , Tristan Giraud 13.02, Thierry Giraud 12.07
Discus
Tristan Giraud 15.28, Thierry Giraud 13.27
Congratulations to Mike Deason who finished 4th in the 42mile (yes 42 miles!!) Devil’s The Highland Footrace on Saturday in a time of 5hrs 43.43.
Well done to Louie Millican (U/11) who recorded two PB performances over 100m /800m at the Linwood Open Graded Meeting at Greenock on Wednesday night.