Central teams make cross country history
History was made at the Scottish Cross Country Relay Championships at the weekend which saw the event changed from the long established course in Cumbernauld to the extensive grounds of Scone Palace.
And Central AC took to the course like a duck to water to register an unprecedented gold and silver in the men’s event the first time it had happened since the championship was first held in 1974.
With the normal four legs of 4000metres, the club had been on the podium for the last 17 years in a record going back to 2004 and had won the last two relays.
The A team’s Hamish Hickey (11:32) provided his normal confident run as he handed over in second place at the end of the first leg to Under 20 runner Ben
MacMillan and any nerves he must have been feeling soon disappeared as he opened a gap on his rivals (11:34) to hand over a significant lead to Andrew Butchart on leg three.
The Olympian’s record on track, road and cross country is exemplary and here his 11:31 leg opened up an everwidening gap on his rivals. It was left to current Scottish Cross Country Champion Jamie Crowe (11:29) to finish off his team’s efforts in fine style to clinch gold.
Behind them team there was a more intriguing story unfolding. Central’s B team of Cameron Milne (11:47), Calum Philip (11:50), and Luca Fanattoli (11:39) had moved through into third place by the end of leg three to leave Tom Graham-Marr with a tough task but he soon pushed past Aberdeen AAC’s runner to move into second.
Tom, in turn, was being pursued by a strong Inverclyde AC team but ran a controlled 11:38 leg to ensure the unique double.
The day had started with the young females’ races with the normal format of an Under 13 followed by an Under 15 and finished off by an Under 17 athlete.
While never challenging for medals the Central athletes showed gold star performances for endeavour. The girls’ team saw Fia Watkin lead the challenge to bring the team round in 11:46 over the first of three 2500metre laps. Niamh McKinlay (10:55) ran strongly throughout to pass a number of her rivals while Catriona Kane’s effort (10:12) again saw her pick up more places to bring her team home in a fine 12th place overall.
The B team of Niamh Caldwell (12:55), Carys Gibb (11:08) and Scarlett Roy (11:02) showed true resilience with determined efforts throughout. Maisie Beaton (13:36) may have been the youngest athlete in any team of the day as she led round a team of Leah Brown (11:34) and Millie O’Neill (11:54) to finish off a more than satisfactory effort for Central’s scoring teams.
Fine runs from Under 15 runners Leya Gibb (11:35) and Robyn McKerracher (11:36) along with Under 17 Zosia Paddon (11:53), proved they would have fitted seamlessly into any off the teams.
The second race showcased the young males in a similar format of Under 13, Under 15 and Under 17 and saw Finley MacGregor lead off the A team to cover his 2500metre leg in 11:36 while Aaron Middleton picked up the challenge pulling his team through the field with a strong 9:42 effort. It was left to Connor Bell to finish off Central’s effort as he picked up some 19 places with a charging run of 8:15.
Connor ensured his Central team finished in 27th overall with an almost unnoticed fastest leg of the day by any young athlete.
The B team of Fraser Kingsley (11:59), Henry Crossley (11:04) and Scott Hill (10:23) again deserved an A for effort especially as Under 15 runner Scott had to cover Under 17 duties.
The women’s races had moved from the format of three legs to be held over four legs of 4000metres and here it was Under 20 athlete Grace Tindall (14:34), who led off Central’s challenge in fine style bringing her team to ninth place at the changeover. It was frustrating to see that successive legs by Sarah Seal (18.41) and Cliona Diamond (16.04) went unrewarded as Central had to finish an incomplete team.
The Masters women were somewhat better served with only three required to make up a team it was down to Mandy Williams (16:58), Julia McAfee (18:10) and youngest Master Claire Houston (15:48), to bring the team home in eighth.
There was further superb back-up from Central’s C team through Matthew Sutherland (12:20), Sandy Holl (12:22), Josh Wood (12:51) and Dale Colley (12:11) to finish in an excellent 12th overall. Andrew Irvine (14:06) was lead off runner in a further Central team with back up from
Scott Gillen (15:51), Under 20 athlete Sam Grivell with a notable 13:40 clocking and Neil Galbraith-Cobb (16:25).
A Masters team comprising Scott Brember (12:29), Ewan Jack (14:12), Craig Walker (14:48) and David Eckersley (14:53) were always competitive and finished a highly respectable seventh in the Masters race.
It was great to see efforts from Donald Shaw (15:37), Iain Dunsmore (16:07), Colin Alexander (17:50) and Hugh Buchanan (16:23) being rewarded with a 15th Masters placing.
And Central’s Over 50’s team of Cameron Campbell, Charles Graham-Marr, Colin Sinclair and Allan Gall have much to teach the younger club members on pure attitude and commitment.