Gearing up for a busy January
Central AC athletes are now in training getting themselves ready for a busy January after international and regional selections were announced last week
Aidan Thompson and Kate Gallagher make their debuts at this level after being picked for Scotland teams at Under 23 and Under 20 levels respectively and they will compete against other Celtic nations at the Antrim International Cross Country event in Northern Ireland on Saturday, January 6.
The televised Great Edinburgh Cross Country in Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park brings together international and domestic top level competition on Saturday, January 13.
Scotland will once again compete in the 4x1Km International Mixed Relay and the Scotland A team includes Central’s Cameron Boyek, who won gold with GB at the recnet Euro Cross in a similar Mixed Relay event. Steph Twell, Jake Wightman and Steph Pennycook complete a strong Scotland A line-up.
The inter-district cross country match between the three Scottish Districts and Scottish Universities is a keenly fought competition. Amongst those in initial selections from Central are: Senior Men: Jamie Crowe, Alastair Hay and Cameron Milne; Senior Ladies: Morag MacLarty and Fanni Gyurko; Under 17 Men: Ben MacMillian and Tom Graham-Marr; Under 17 Ladies: Rosie Eckersley; Under 15 Girls: Carrie Banks; Under 15 Boys: Lewis Dow; Under 13 Girls: Melissa Turnbull and Under 13 Boys: Conor Bell. ●The club’s Christmas Handicap saw 40 runners take part in misty but otherwise benign conditions last week.
It was Fiona Davies who posted an emphatic win by some 23 seconds from veteran runner Allan Gall with Ainsley Normand in competitive form as she came home in third just ahead of newcomer Tal Aidi with Eleanor Hanson in close attendance.
Cameron Milne again proved to be the fastest on the night with a tasty 11min 58secs for the 4km course, taking some seven seconds from his 2016 time to close in on Andrew Butchart’s 11.50 course record.
Other notable male performances saw Jamie Crowe finish with 12.27, Rhuaridh Miller (12.51), Lewis Millar (12.53) and Chris Smithard (12.58).
Scott Brember proved to be the fastest veteran with 13.11 while Under 15 Lewis Dow again underlined his promise with 14.15 as did Under 17 prospect Telfer Gray (14.18).
Morag MacLarty was again the top female competitor, finishing in 14.11 while Under 20 runner Lauren McCulloch made further progress to record 14.57 and Hazel Dean (17.41) finished as the top female veteran on the night.