Scottish National Age Group Champs 2016

Scottish National Age Group Championships, August 2016, Grangemouth (Junior Report by Rachel Burn)

The Scottish Age Groups Championships in Grangemouth recently saw some good results across the junior age groups from Kilmarnock Harriers.

The weather conditions at Grangemouth were not kind at all but that did not stop Kilmarnock athletes achieving some great results, including some PBs.

Competing athletes in the under 13 girls category were Hannah Burn, Lottie Lambert, Ilsa Reaburn, Eilidh Ballantyne, Emily O’Shea and Hannah Henderson.

Hannah Burn who was out of action for the whole of last year finished 5^th out of 38 athletes in the 800m in 2.32secs and made it through to the semi-finals of the 200m.  Lottie Lambert achieved PBs in 1500m, 6.09secs, and 70m hurdles, 14.15secs.  Emily O’Shea also competed in the 70m hurdles, 12.81secs, high jump, 1.36m, and long jump, 3.71m.  Isla Raeburn competed in 800m, 2.52.89sec,  and long jump, 3.56m while Eilidh Ballantyne also competed in 800m, 2.56.6secs, and achieved a PB in javelin throwing 14.63m.  In her heat for 100m Hannah Henderson achieved a PB, 16.88secs, and also competed in javelin, 8.99m and shot put, 5.26m.

Competing athletes in the under 13 boys category were Aidyn McMahon, Dean Murray, Jonathon Downey, Lewis Hill and Max Jenner.

Aidyn McMahon had a good performance in the 100m, making it through to the semi-final, 14.74secs and he also achieved a PB in long jump with an impressive 4.17m.  Dean Murray ran in 100m, 16.01secs, and threw a PB in shot put, 6.41m. Jonathon Downey competed in the 200m, 31.77secs, 800m, 2.37.83,  and long jump, 3.56m, while Max Jenner also ran in the 800m, 2.52.78.  Lewis Hill achieved a PB in 1500m, 5.16secs, while Luke McManus also achieved a PB in discus, 11.49m.

Competing athletes in the under 15 girls category were Caitlin Kelly, Molly Murray, Courtney Goodwin, Emily Nix, Sara Barbour and Natalie Sharp.

Caitlin Kelly ran a PB in the 100m in 14.67secs while Courtney Goodwin also ran a PB in the 300m in 45.50 secs and Molly Murray ran the 1500m in 5.18 secs.  Sarah Barbour competed in the pole vault, 2.21m and the javelin, 29.64m and achieved not only PBs in both events but  a bronze medal for the javelin.  Emily Mix competed in the discus and threw a PB in hammer with a very respectable 16.70m.  Natalie Sharp competed in shot put, 7.92m and discus, 14.09m.

Competing athletes in the under 15 boys category were Jonathan Houson, Bruce Holden, Aidan Jenner, Kudzai Tapatapa and Finlay Walker.

Jonathan Houson ran a PB in the 1500m in an impressive 4.49.9secs while Kudzai Tapatapa also ran a PB in the 300m in 39.33secs.  Bruce Holden competed in the 800m, 2.23.26 as did Aidan Jenner  who ran it in 2.17.95.  Finlay Walker made it to the podium for a silver medal for his achievement in the pole vault, 3.21m.

Evie Bartl competed for the under 17 girls and threw a rather impressive 38.87m, a PB.  This achievement earned Evie a gold medal on the podium, well done!

Jamie Nix, Joe Aiwansoba and Sam Kennedy competed in the under 17 boys category.  Jamie Nix ran in the 1500m, 4.54.75secs and jumped 10.84m in the triple jump.  Joe Aiwansoba  achieved two PBs while competing in the 100m, 12.41secs, and 200m, 25.73secs. Sam Kennedy also achieved a PB in the 400m with an impressive 60.14secs.

 

Kyle Jackson and Cameron Wilson competed in the under 20 age category.  Kyle Jackson ran in the 400m, 53.37secs and Cameron Wilson made it through the final of the 200m with a time of 23.75.

There were some fantastic performances and therefore all athletes who competed in the championship event really did themselves and the Club proud.

Rowallen Rosebowl 2016

Not long after the Nationals, a number of our Juniors lined up in the highly anticipated Club Race – the Rowallen Rosebowl – and with the event having first taken place in 1933 a hugely impressive turnout of 81 athletes took part with Juniors running 1 lap of the course with Seniors taking on 2 and everyone being divided into teams at the start of proceedings by handicapper John Gebbie based on recent form by the athletes.

The overall route starts and finishes at the Ayrshire Athletics Arena with the course heading up Queens Drive to the Bellfield Roundabout before heading down the A77 slip road, looping round Scott Ellis Playing fields before crossing the bridge at the Arena to finish off, with each lap totalling 1.35 miles.

On the night we saw a new course record with Richard Mair running an outstanding 13.51 for the 2 laps, while fastest Female was newly wed Kirsteen Havlin.

First team was “Team 5” consisting of James Wales (14.57), past Troon 10k winner Eddie Tonner (17.31), Calum Haswell (18.33), Kirsteen Havlin (19.13), Johnny Burn (20.23), and the Junior pairing of Erin Connelly and Sophie Brown who ran a combined time of 20.51 for an overall team time of 1.51.28 and in the process get their names on the historic trophy.

Well done to all who took part on a rainy night when team camaraderie was the true winner.

Finally, a trio of Kilmarnock Harriers took the trip North to take part in the Ben Nevis Hill Race on Saturday and there really was a wealth of experience amongst them.

Colin Glencorse completing in his 7^th “Ben” was joined by David White (20^th appearance) and Roddie Pugh (18^th), and with the 3 all safely finishing arguably the most popular Hill Race in the UK in decent positions this was yet another outing of the Harriers to be proud of.

(WITH MANY THANKS TO RACHEL BURN FOR THE ABOVE REPORT)