Mid Argyll athletes leap into the finals
A bustling Lochgilphead games hall was a hive of activity as young athletes from across Argyll came to compete in the Mid Argyll Athletics Club’s annual indoor competition.
The event, which was held on Sunday January 26, is the first of a series of local area competitions being held in Argyll this winter. The number of entries – 42 girls and 27 boys – was up on 2019 and with several impressive performances throughout the three and a half hours of action, there was some intense competition.
The under-nine girls’ contest was very competitive with an entry of 13 girls. Lochgilphead’s Neve Bowden won the class by less than two points, ahead of Emma Litster, also from Lochgilphead. Eilidh Cameron from Glassary school was also in contention and finished third overall, thanks to her win in the javelin. Neve won the six-lap race and the long jump, triple jump and vertical jump, while Emma gained first places in the three-lap race, speed bounce and high jump.
The MacDonald twins from Lochgilphead dominated in the under-11s with Jemma the champion, but only a few points ahead of sister Jorja. Jemma won five of the eight events including a 24.2 seconds in the three-lap race and 52.3 in the six-lap, as well as wins in the long, triple and vertical jumps. Jorja won the speed bounce, recording 78 jumps and not too far below the Argyll age record. Ardrishaig’s Jodie Allan was third on overall points and excelled in winning both the javelin with 14.75 metres and high jump clearing 1.22metres.
Ruby Jo Philips, of Kilmichael, was a clear winner in the under-13s, ahead of Emma Plummer from Lochgilphead and Beth Johnstone, from Tarbert. Ruby Jo won the three-lap race, shot putt, triple jump and high jump, clearing 1.35 metres. Beth won the long and vertical jumps and Emma won a closely contested six-lap race by inches. In the same age group Kyra Robertson won the speed bounce.
Inveraray’s Eilidh Cameron and Kirstin Blair, from Crinan, tied for first in the under-15s contest, with Eilidh winning the two running events, shot putt and speed bounce, while Kirstin excelled in the four jumping events including a 49cm leap in the vertical jump.
The youngest girls age group was the under-sevens which had an entry of 10 girls. It was won by Zara Whyte, Lochgilphead, on 21 points, only two points ahead of Ellie MacVicar, who came all the way from Tighnabruaich. Zara impressed in winning the three-lap, six-lap and javelin and Ellie won the speed bounce and triple jump. Maddie McChesney from Glassary school was third overall.
The Argyll age records become harder to break each year as the indoor events have been contested since 1994 but a young lad from Inveraray did equal the under-nines high jump record which was just set as recent as 2016.
Jack Cardwell, who has just recently moved to Inveraray with his family, was the under-nines champion. A newcomer to athletics, he impressed with his high jumping, winning by a wide margin and equalling the record by clearing 1.14 metres. Ethan Kerr, from Tighnabruaich, was runner up to Jack and impressed with success in both the three-lap and six-lap races. Ardrishaig’s Blair Houston was third overall with wins in both the long and triple jumps and speed bounce.
Tighnabruaich’s Luke MacVicar was the under-11s champion, only one point ahead of George Balkeen from Lochgilphead. Luke won the three-lap, six-lap and the long and vertical jumps. Luke’s success must have pleased his mum Nicola (then Nicola Irvine) who was the Argyll under-13s champion back in 1996. Runner-up George Balkeen won the javelin, triple jump and high jump.
Logan Allan, of Ardrishaig, won the under-15s contest ahead of Joe Anderson from Kilmichael. Logan produced a good performance with marks in all eight events including 21.4 seconds in the three-lap and 47.3 seconds in the six-lap.
While entry numbers in the older boys’ age groups were disappointing for organisers there was an brilliant entry of 11 boys in the under-sevens category. Ruairidh Charnock, of Lochgilphead, was an impressive overall winner ahead of Ethan Bowden. Ruairidh won all seven events with some style and his 1.59 metres in the standing long jump was not far behind the Argyll age record.
The successful athletes from Sunday’s competition will be invited to compete in the Argyll Final, which will be held at Atlantis Leisure in Oban on Sunday March 22. Qualifiers for the final will be advised by letter through their local club or school.
Results:
Under-7 girls: 1 Zara Whyte, Lochgilphead, 21 points; 2 Ellie MacVicar, Tighnabruaich, 19 points; 3 Maddie McChesney, Glassary, 17.5 points; 4 Hailey Roxburgh, Lochgilphead, 6 points.
Under-9 girls: 1 Neve Bowden, Lochgilphead 22 points; 2 Emma Litster, Lochgilphead, 20.5 points; 3 Eilidh Cameron, Glassary, 17 points; 4 Calliegh McNair, Kilmartin, 6.5 points; 5 Rowan Cockburn, Lochgilphead, 5.5 points.
Under-11 girls: 1 Jemma MacDonald, Lochgilphead, 26 points; 2 Jorja MacDonald, Lochgilphead, 23.5 points; 3 Jodie
Allan, Ardrishaig, 17.5 points; 4 Esmee Bain, Ardrishaig, 5 points; 5 Isobel Cameron, Taynuilt, 3.5 points.
Under-13 girls: 1 Ruby Jo Philips, Lochgilphead, 25.5 points; 2 Emma
Plummer, Lochgilphead, 17 points; 3 Beth Johnstone, Tarbert, 16 points; 4 Eleanor Dale, Ardrishaig, 9.5 points; 5 Kyra Robertson, Lochgilphead, 8.5 points; 6 Ruby Dunlop, Lochgilphead, 3.5 points.
Under-15 girls: 1= Eilidh Cameron, Lochgilphead and Kirstin Blair, Lochgilphead, 28 points; 3 Amber Bain, Lochgilphead, 16 points.
Under-7 boys: 1 Ruairidh Charnock, Lochgilphead, 27.5 points; 2 Ethan Bowden, Lochgilphead, 17 points; 3 Jack MacMillan, Lochgilphead, 7.5 points. 4 Dexter Forsythe, Kilmartin, 6 points.
Under-9 boys: 1 Jack Cardwell, Inveraray, 21 points; 2 Ethan Kerr, Tighnabruaich, 19.5 points; 3 Blair Houston, Ardrishaig, 18 points; 4 Olly MacVicar, Tighnabruaich, 9 points; 5= Alex Cunningham, Lochgilphead and Finlay Green, Ardrishaig 5 points.
Under-11 boys: 1 Luke MacVicar, Tighnabruaich, 23 points; 2 George Balkeen, Lochgilphead, 22 points; 3 Sean O’Quinn, Lochgilphead, 16 points; 4 Rory Shaw, Lochgilphead, 9 points; 5= Lewis Hill, Lochgilphead and Christopher Galloway, Lochgilphead, 5 points.
Under-15 boys: 1 Logan Allan, Lochgilphead, 32 points; 2 Joe Anderson, Lochgilphead, 24 points.