Harriers among the XC medals
Moira Stewart made headlines for Cambuslang Harriers on Sunday after battling through the mud at the Scottish Cross Country Championships to claim a bronze medal.
While Cambuslang did not return with any team medals, in spite of the male and female athletes’ best efforts, Moira took the bronze medal in the senior ladies race.
Moira is resident in the Czech Republic but is eligible to represent the club on account of her Scottish father, Eddie, who was a Scottish internationalist in his younger days, and has won Scottish Masters Cross Country titles in the M40,45,50,55 and 60 categories.
She is the current Czech cross country champion and confessed that she had never run in such muddy conditions before.
The course for this year’s championships at Callendar Park in Falkirk was more akin to the terrain at the First World War One Battle of Passchendaele,or the Battle of the Mud as it is commonly referred to.
Therefore, everyone who participated deserves a medal for competing and Scottish Athletics and the home club hosts, Falkirk Victoria, supplemented by volunteers from other clubs, deserve a big vote of thanks for ensuring the event went ahead.
The under-13 girls had the pleasure of starting the proceedings and Hayley Clarke, Lucy McGrandle, Olivia McNicol and Grace Ferry combined to finish 16th team while the under-13 boys quartet of Sam McCarthy, Reece Duncan, Jay Gallacher and Chris Black were 14th team. Lewis Cook and Dylan Stefani supplied the back up.
The under-15 girls, ably led by Abbie McClue and with support from Eva Ritchie, Mya Carmichael and Morvern Crawford, recorded 11th place. Their under-15 male counterparts were ninth, thanks to Lewis Roddis, Fearghus MacGregor, Zak Haggerty, Finlay Robb and Jonathan O’Kane.
Only three runners were required to make up a team in the under-17 ladies event and with Susie McLaughlin inside the top 20 finishers and Shona Carey just outside the top 20, along with support from Peggy Nan
Rodgers the trio achieved seventh team spot.
The under-17 male quartet of Michael Black, Brodie Aitken, Aaron Grew and Sean Friel were in fifth position, with Joa Fairweather and Liam Angley following them home. Michael in 12th place delivered his best run of the season.
Rachel Wardrope was the sole club representative in the under-20 ladies race and she showed great determination throughout her race to cross the finishing line.
The under-20 men were well represented with six athletes on the starting line. Their counting quartet of Chris McLew, Struan Paton, Andrew Carey and Ryan Donnelly were in sixth place with Keir Crawford, and Kai Newell in support.
For the first time in the history of these championships the senior women were given parity with the men and therefore six athletes were required to complete a team.
Unfortunately, Cambuslang could only field four athletes. Moira, Kirsty O’Brien, Lynn Angley and Lesley McCardle all put in strong performances, while having to contend with the additional problem of heavy hail showers.
The final event of the day was the senior men’s race with the weather further deteriorating. Cambuslang’s men had taken the silver medals the previous year but unfortunately due to injuries and illness three of their counters were sidelined.
In spite of a valiant effort the seniors had to settle for sixth place. From a large field of 670 competitors the Cambuslang sextet of Fraser Stewart, Craig Jardine, Alasdair Campbell, Ryan Thomson, Gavin Smith and club captain Iain Reid occupied positions 20, 23, 28, 37, 46 and 55.
Spare a thought for Craig who, while inside the top 10 with just over a mile to go, had a shoe come off.
Next in line came Colin Reilly and Kenny Campbell respectively in 69th and 74th positions with a succession of red and white vests to follow in the order of Stuart McGeachy, Johnny MacNamara, Mick O’Hagan, Dave Thom, Graeme Gallie, Iain Nicholl, Tony McCutcheon, David Marshall, club president Des Dickson, Mark Gallacher, Dan O’Connell, Simon Gold, Iain Crawford and David Stirling.