Abbey Dash delight for McColgan

Dundee Hawkhill Harrier Eilish McColgan ran the second fastest 10km of her career to retain her title and break her own course record at the Leeds Abbey Dash, writes our athletics correspondent.

Her time of 32:05 put her well ahead of Belfast’s Emma Mitchell (32:51).

McColgan’s only faster run of 31:58, last January in Doha, was set in more favourable conditions.

The Hawkhill runner was especially pleased at this Leeds effort so early in the season.

“I’m really pleased with that. I wasn’t sure what shape I was in,” she said.

“After the track season I went on holiday and had a nice two weeks off and was just getting back into my training again.

“I knew the 10km distance was going to kill me because I’ve just not done that kind of volume or that length of training, but my mum thought I was in 32-minute shape and she was bang on.

“I’m really shocked to run that close to my personal best in Doha, where I had perfect weather.

“With better pacing I think there’s a 31:40 definitely there and, with another couple of months’ training, I’d love to try to get down to 31:30 or low 31s if I could.”

Fife AC’s Logan Rees finished sixth in a personal best of 29.28.

Annabel Simpson (Fife AC) led home a tightlypacked Scottish women’s team in 34:56.

Picture: Anadolu Agency.