Harriers in the medals
Success at relay races
It was another successful outing for the Cambuslang Harriers as they returned home with medals from the Scottish Road Relay Championships at Livingston.
The men had a hard act to follow having last year won a unique treble in the senior and masters’ races for over 40 and 50 year- olds. But in spite of tremendous team efforts all round, the club narrowly failed to match last year’s achievements.
The over 50 quartet of Alick Walkinshaw, Peter Fleming, Colin Feechan and Stan MacKenzie decisively retained their team title by over eight minutes having led from gun to tape.
The six- man junior/ senior team were in the lead until the penultimate leg five when there was a dramatic twist in the tail for them.
Club captain Iain Reid had put the club into a strong fourth position on the opening 5K leg which set Stuart Gibson up nicely to storm through the field to first place.
Pole position was maintained over legs three and four by Al Campbell and over-40 runner Robert Gilroy.
Under-20 Craig Jardine took off in front and was running strongly when he mistakenly took the turning for the long leg instead of veering to the left for the shorter route.
By the time Craig realised his error and returned to the course, the two previously pursuing runners were now well clear of him. However, he rallied and worked hard over the remaining distance to regain one of the two lost places. In spite of Ryan Thomson recording the secondfastest time on the final leg, Cambuslang could not claw back the deficit and finished a secure second.
It was always going to be difficult for the M40 men to retain their title as leading M40 Robert Gilroy was representing the junior/ senior team and last year’s first and second M40 in the Scottish Cross Country Championships Kenny Campbell and Jamie Reid were also missing through injury.
H o w e v e r, the Cambuslang runners were not going to give up their title without a fight. At halfway Paul Kernohan, Justin Carter and Michael Barker had put the club into fourth spot with Ker ry- Liam Wi l s o n moving Cambuslang up to a close second behind Corstorphine AC on stage four.
Brian Douglas then overhauled his Edinburgh rival to hand over a lead to Frank McGowan. Misfortune befell the club when Frank was about to line up and badly went over on his ankle when stepping off the kerb. Driven by adrenaline however, he set off on the difficult task in normal circumstances of trying to hold off the challenge of Corstorphine’s Keith Hood and secured second place.
Perhaps the icing on the cake for the club was the bronze medal won by the female masters over 40 quartet of Claire Mennie, Bernie O’Neil, Erica Christie and Jennifer Reid.
All four combined well to finish a creditable third behind Edinburgh AC and PH Racing Club – a first medal for a senior or master ladies team from the club.