Hawkins out to defend Great Scottish Run title

Callum Hawkins hopes to complete the ‘full course’ when he defends his Great Scottish Run title in Glasgow tomorrow.

The Kilbarchan athlete won last year’s race in a Scottish record of 60 minutes 24 seconds only to have his time annulled due to the half-marathon course being 150m short.

However, the 25-year-old went on to run 60:00 when winning the Kagawa Marugame International in Japan in February, beating Allister Hutton’s 20-year-old national record of 62.28.

Hawkins’ superb 2017 was further underlined by his impressive fourth-place finish at the London World Championships marathon this summer.

Dunblane’s Andrew Butchart makes his half-marathon debut.

In the women’s field, Jo Pavey returns to Glasgow to take on the half-marathon.

The 10,000m European champion in 2014 finished fourth in the half-marathon two years ago.

The Great Scottish Run, sponsored by the Bank of Scotland, will be televised on BBC Two from 11am.

Meanwhile Dundee Hawkhill’s James Donald will have one eye on the clock tomorrow as he aims to better his course record at the Giffordtown 5km Road Race near Ladybank.

The U20 junior set new figures of 15 minutes 16 seconds in winning last year’s race but in July set a personal best 14:45.24 for 5km on the track at Scotstoun, Glasgow.

Sheena Logan, winner at last Sunday’s East Neuk 10km, starts as favourite for the women’s prize but will be challenged by Fife AC colleague Halina Rees.