Kilmarnock Athletes Relay Have Fun at the Emirates

It was a busy weekend at the Emirates Indoor Arena with the National Combined Events, Relays and Masters Championships all taking place.

The Senior Mens relay team comprising of Fraser Angus, Kyle Jackson, Cameron Wilson and Scott Young. This team travelled to the Emirates with something to prove. This team already national medal winners in the outdoor relays  were here to see if they could do it at the indoors. A previous member of the team and stalwart of Kilmarnock Harriers, Kuda Tapatapa was competing for his new first claim club Edinburgh, having moved to Edinburgh for university. Let it just be said that in the build up to this event there had been more than a bit of good natured banter between the Killie squad and their old team mate. When it came to the racing though the atmosphere was electric. both teams qualified comfortably for the final with only one second separating the six qualifying teams. 

From the gun the new Scottish Schools National 200m Champion Fraser Angus led the way with a blistering run handing the baton to Kyle Jackson who put up a strong and gutsy battle amongst the quality field to handover the baton still clinging onto first place to Cameron Wilson. This is where the race really got interesting as he was in a head to head with his old training partner Kuda Tapatapa. They were almost shoulder to shoulder down the back-straight with Cameron fighting to hold the lead. It was only as they came round the top bend that Kuda was able to get an advantage and in the closely fought battle between Edinburgh, Kilmarnock and Victoria Park Cameron had to chop his stride which saw him fighting down the home straight to regain momentum. The baton was handed over to Scott Young who also had to cut his stride to avoid a collision with the Victoria Park Athlete. Scott fought all the way to the line to bring the team home in the Bronze medal position behind Victoria Park and Edinburgh who finished in the Gold medal position. 

Meanwhile in the wings somewhere sprints coaches Donald McIntosh and Colin Young were being treated by the first aid team for near heart failure, due to too much excitement. The Kilmarnock athletes showed that they can old their own with the best. It speaks volumes for the club that there was five quality Kilmarnock senior sprinters in the finals.

Throughout the rest of the day three young under 13 athletes from the club were competing in the Combined Events National Championships for the first time. They had to compete in Long Jump, Shot Putt, High Jump, 800 meters and 60 meter Hurdles. The girls Catriona McLean, Mirren Callaghan and Isla Raeburn did brilliantly to finish in 6th, 7th and 8th positions respectively overall.

This was just reward for all their hard work was a fantastic achievement for all their hard work. On the Sunday Natalie Sharp was competing in the combined events in  the under 15 category. Unfortunately Natalie injured her leg and on the advice of the physiotherapist had to withdraw from the competition much to her disappointment.

Another of the Kilmarnock Sprinters in action this weekend was Lauren Greig representing the School of Sport in Sheffield at the English Indoor Championships. Lauren a first year under 17 was up against the best athletes in Britain in her age group. She narrowly missed out n a semi final place in the 60 meters and gained a place in the semi finals of the 200 meters however did not manage to qualify for the final. Lauren has gained valuable experience competing in these championships that will stand her in good stead for the future.

Elsewhere Scotland another athlete from the club who was competing this weekend Evie Bartl. However this time it was in weightlifting which she has recently taken up as part of her training for the Pole Vault. Saturday saw her Clean and Jerk 53 Kilos at the Scottish Schools Weightlifting Championships to claim the Gold medal.

All in all a fantastic weekend for the Kilmarnock athletes.

 

Photographs courtesy of Colin Young Photography and Harald Bartl.