Trophy time for Central athletes
Team victory as Cameron scoops silverware
Central AC returned to winning ways at the Scottish Athletics Short Course Cross Country Championships on Saturday.
Record fields provided ferocious competition in all six of the races at Kirkcaldy with Central’s highlight being the senior men who landed the team trophy - a race which featured a winning return to top class running for Cameron Boyek.
The 4k race of two laps saw six athletes heading the field in a close bunch on the first lap and Boyek seized the initiative on the second lap to open a 30-metre lead on his rivals. With dogged determination, he held on to win in 12.01 by four seconds behind while club-mate Alastair Hay came home as a close fifth in 12.12.
Cameron Milne (12th; 12.31) and Chris Smithard (28th; 12.52) helped the team to gold.
Boyek helped Scotland to a Stewart Cup 4x1K Relay win at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country early in 2016 but the 1500m runner has had injury problems in the interim.
“‘It was good to win that and I knew reading the preview that there were some good names there and strong competition,” said Cameron. “I just managed to get a bit of lead and then pushed it on when I could. I wasn’t sure what was going on behind me.
“After the injuries that I’ve had, I am determined just to put in a solid winter and that means some cross country – certainly over this kind of distance. The 4k was probably ideal and I will be doing indoors as well.
“I believe there is a 4 x 1500m race at the Euro Cross and I think GB are planning to send a team to that so hopefully winning here helps me stake a selection claim for that.”
Also featuring for Central’s seniors were Murray MacLarty (13.07), Ruaridh Miller (13.09), Fraser Logan (13.21), Lewis Millar (13.49), David Eckersley (14.55), Charles GrahamMarr (15.32), Donald Shaw (16.15), Colin Alexander (16.17), Ben Noad (16.52), Gordon Appelbe (16.53), Kenny Hislop (18.50) and Allan Gall (19.11).
The senior women’s race saw top runner Laura Muir competing in her Glasgow University vest in an weekend’s break from her veterinary studies. She led from gun to tape and for Central’s Morag MacLarty, there was an compelling battle for the minor medals as she moved through a scattered group to take bronze.
Kate Gallagher made a breakthrough run in her first year as a senior to take 11th place in the race (14.22); Lauren McCulloch ran strongly (15.03) with Kim Timmins (16.22) Fiona Davies (17.88) and Becky Hay (18.03) completing a strong squad. Team medals were just outside their grasp with fourth place.
The Under 15 boys race over 2000m was also a hard fought race and Lewis Dow was Central’s top counter in 24th placing with 6.48. Kyle Howie (7.15), Ben Angus Hughes (7.45) and Cameron Fraser (7.45) all ran with confident style.
In the Under 17 men’s race, 3000m was the distance and Tom GrahamMarr was to the fore, finishing eighth in 9.3 with further fine efforts from Ben MacMillan, Keir Howlieson (both finishing together in 9.54) and Sandy Holl (10.24) with the team in fifth place.
The Under 17 ladies race covered the same 3000m course and a strong quartet of Central runners finished in a creditable fifth place. Rosie Eckersley was 14th in 11.15 supported by Elizabeth Thompson (12.19), Heather Scott (12.56) and Skye Henderson (13.13). Central had an incomplete team in the under 15 girls race with great runs from Carrie Banks (14th in 7.16) and Eilidh MacKenzie (8.42).