TRIUMPHANT CENTRAL NOW HEADING TO EUROS IN 2022
The cohort from Stirling’s Central Athletic Club travelling home from Liverpool on Saturday must have had smiles on their faces and a spring in their step.
The British Athletics Cross Challenge in Liverpool on Saturday was the latest race to test a number of Central’s athletes.
With Scottish vests, European Cross Country places up for grabs and the potential for Central’s Senior Men to make it to the European Champion Clubs Cross Country there was much at stake.
The British Cross Challenge events are a huge challenge given the depth of competition but the Central athletes showed they can rub shoulders with the best. Amongst the Senior Men it was Andrew Butchart and Jamie Crowe who caught the eye of the selectors finishing second and third over the 9.8k course, covering the distance in 28 minutes 16 seconds and 28.27 respectively.
Olympian Butchart has competed for Team GB a number of times before but this will be a first GB selection for Crowe underlining the progress he has made as they both head to Dublin on December 12.
The races are relentless and as the athletes poured through the finishing line there were further superb performances from the Senior Men’s contingent through Tom Graham-Marr (52nd; 30.10), Luca Fanottoli (81st; 30.54), Callum Phillip (101st; 31.29), Hamish Hickey (106th; 31.39), Dale Colley (145th; 32.49) and Andrew Irvine (222nd; 35.31.
Their efforts will see Central head to the European Champions Clubs Cross Country near Lisbon on February 6, 2022, having held off strong challenges from their Welsh and English counterparts, Cardiff and Shaftesbury Barnet.
Not to be outdone by her male clubmates, Morag Millar had another outstanding run to finish twenty third in the Senior Women’s 8.1k race in a time of 28.02.
The Under 20 Men’s race featured another committed effort by Central’s Alastair Marshall who covered his 6.7k challenge in 20.34 to finish in a highly satisfactory eighth overall.
Earlier in the day Under 17 Man Connor Bell again underlined his potential as he gave notice to his rivals with a superb eighth place finish over a 5.5k course with an excellent 17.24 clocking.