Derek has to settle for a silver
Habbie is pipped at the post by Ghebresilassie
Kilbarchan AAC’s Derek Hawkins had to settle for silver at the weekend’s Scottish 10- Mile Championships at Strathclyde Park.
The Tom Scott Road Races enjoyed their biggest- ever field as athletes from across the country descended on the Glasgow venue.
A new high of 377 athletes completed the 10-mile race, an increase of just under 25 per cent on last year.
The new’s race proved to be a thrilling encounter, with Hawkins going toe-totoe with eventual winner Wayney Ghebresilassie of Shettleston Harriers throughout the afternoon.
But it was the Shettleston runner who managed to find that extra yard of pace in the closing stages to stretch away from Hawkins in the final three miles to win by 17 seconds in a time of 47.40, and be awarded the Tom Scott Memorial Trophy.
Completing the top three in the men’s race was Craig Ruddy of Inverclyde, the champion from two years ago. All three were inside the standards asked for to claim shares in the Road Race Grand Prix, with Wayney and Derek each claiming A standards thanks to times under 50 minutes.
Elsewhere, Paralympain Derek Rae was in action as he produced a personal best time of 53.38 ahead of the upcoming IPC World Marathon Cup in London later this month.
Katie White, of Garscube Harriers, clinched the ladies title and the Granville Trophy in 58.20, as she finished ahead of Nicola Gauld of Aberdeen AAC by 26 seconds, with Jill Smylie of Giffnock North in third place.
And titles were also awarded to the first teams in the 10 mile race, with teams being crowned as Scottish and West District Team 10 Mile champions as well as champions of the Tom Scott 10 Mile.
The Motherwell YMCA Trophy for the first male team was awarded to Inverclyde AC with Craig Ruddy, Mark Pollard and John Bell combining to take all three titles west to Greenock.
The first female team and winners of the Anna Poulton Trophy was Cambuslang Harriers with Bernadette O’Neil, Jennifer Reid and Erica Christie, in doing so securing Scottish and West District golds.