RECORD BREAKER HOLLY AT THE DOUBLE
Tenerife tally goes top
Whitemoss Amateur Athletic Club star Holly McArthur broke a long-standing Scottish record on her way to gold at the English U20 Combined Events Championships last week – and then shattered her own record just days later in Tenerife.
The 17-year-old produced a superb performance to earn 5332 points, setting a new heptathlon personal best in Bedford and breaking the Scottish U20 record of 5246 points – set by Valerie Walsh back in 1983.
She then jetted off to Tenerife for the Aroma U20 Combined Events and recorded an overall score of 5478 to improve her Scottish record.
Thrilled Holly told the News: “I’m in the best form I’ve ever been in and I hope that I can keep it up and continue to develop.
“In Bedford I never really thought about trying to break the record, I just wanted to do the best I could in every event.
“I got five PBs in the seven events and when I found out I’d broken the record it was quite exciting.
“The record has stood for a long time, so I was really happy when I found out I broke it and won overall by quite a few points (over 600) from the girl in second place.
“But then I went to Tenerife and performed even better, so I was so happy about that.
“Luckilymycoach(IainMcEwan)went there with me and that really helped.”
Holly’s performance in the Canary Islands helped her surpass the qualifying standard of 5450 points for the U20 European Championships in Italy next month.
The squad has not been selected yet and beating the standard is no guarantee of selection.
But in-form Holly, a National Academy Athlete, said: “If I’m selected that would be amazing.
“It’s been a great couple of weeks and being selected for Italy would make it even better.
“I’ve still got another year left at under-20s, so there’s still time for me if I don’t make it this year.”
Meanwhile, Whitemoss’ successe continued the same weekend In Northern Ireland.
Team mates Emily Craig and Anna Forbes represented the Scottish Universities Competition in Dublin against the NI Universities.
Despite the continued torrential rain, Emily won the 400m hurdles after an excellent performance and Anna Forbes came second in the long jump after a fine display.