Molly finally lands first Scottish medal
Balfron High teenager Molly Cornes picked up her first ever Scottish medal at last weekend’s Scottish Indoor Under 20 Championships at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow.
The 15-year-old Central AC athlete had numerous high placed finishes at Scottish and Scottish Schools Championships over the years at long jump, high jump and combined events but a podium finish has always eluded her.
After missing out again at the Scottish under 17 championships in January and another fourth place at the Scottish Schools in February, Molly decided to test herself against the older under 20 age group in the high jump.
After steady clearances, Molly was one of four athletes still in with a shout of a medall. This came with an excellent 1.59m clearance at the second attempt for a season’s best jump, just off her personal best of 1.60m set a year ago.
Just one other athlete went clear leaving Molly a guaranteed silver and in a straight battle for the title. The bar was then raised to a lofty 1.64m which she just failed to clear and she had to settle for second - but was proud as punch to finally step up on the podium for the first time in her long career.
In contrast Ben MacMillan has been a regular visitor to the podium at the Emirates Arena with medals stretching back to Under 15 in 2016. Having already taken silver in the 3000m in January, Ben was taking on the 1500m.
He kept pace with the leaders and was part of a group of three that broke clear from the pack. Sitting in third going into the final lap he attacked with 100m to go and moved into second but was unable to catch the leader and ended with silver in 3:59.23 which broke the club Under 20 record.
Balfron’s Briagha Cook took on the 60m hurdles and managed a respectable fourth place and second placed Scot across the line in 9.40 after 9.32 in the heats.
In the sprints, hurdler Lois Burch stepped up from the Under 17 age group to set pbs in the 200m with 27.18 in the heats then 27.13 for ninth in the semifinals. She than ran a pb 8.43 in the 60m.
Lucy More also took on the 60m where she managed a season’s best 8.31 for 12th fastest.
• Central ACs under 13 athletes produced a host of personal bests in the Scottish championships.
Niamh McKinlay celebrated her first ever Scottish medal in the 800m as she followed the leaders all the way round to smash her best by seven seconds and win bronze in 2:32.27s.
The 12-year-old from Aberfoyle had earlier set a pb in the 60m hurdles as she placed 10th in the semi finals with 10.78.
Lewis Miller just missed out on the podium twice in the day. The 12 year old from Dunblane was edged into fourth in the 60m but was rewarded with a new club record in a superb time of 8.43.
He then experienced another fourth place in the long jump as he jumped a pb 4.44m. Lewis also set a new best in the 200m semi finals with 28.71 as he just missed the final where he was joined by Jamie Connor who ran a pb 30.07 in his heat to progress to the semis. Earlier Jamie had just missed the final in the 60m hurdles with 11.80.
Leya Gibb was fourth in the 1500m in a pb 5:28.01 and in the 800m Ossian Arkotxa ran a season’s best 2:34.24 for ninth place.
In the field Loren Stewart cleared a season’s best 1.34m in the high jump for sixth place after jumping 4.01m at long jump for 12th. Connie Bateman threw a pb 6.36m in the shot for seventh.
There were further pbs for Dara Clarke (1.24m, high jump);Finlay MacGregor (1.14m, high jump); Emma Anderson 9.48s, Sophia Waring 9.54s, Fia Watkin 9.70s and Finlay MacGregor 9.62s all in 60m. Emma and Fia also took on the 60m hurdles where Emma ran 12.73s and Fia 12.79s.