The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Muir leads GB to victory in mixed team relay in Edinburgh
Athletics: Dundee Hawkhill runner leads GB to Edinburgh mixed team success
Double European indoor champion Laura Muir anchored Great Britain to victory in the mixed team relay event in the Great Edinburgh Cross Country.
Muir, 24, took the baton in third place behind Europe and Belgium, but wasted no time in hitting the front and powered away to a comfortable win around the 4x1km Holyrood Course.
The British quartet of Tom Marshall, Alexandra Bell, Adam Clarke and Muir finished in 11 minutes 33 seconds, seven seconds ahead of Belgium, with Europe third and Ireland fourth.
Scotland A were fifth ahead of a Scotland B team, with the United States seventh and England in eighth.
For Muir, who began her 2018 season over 3,000m last weekend, the race proved good preparation for the indoor season which continues with the Scottish Open Meeting at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, next Saturday.
Muir said: “I’Il always love competing here. It is fantastic to get another win in the relay; the team did a great job of getting me into a good position so I just had to bring it home for them which I’m happy I was able to do.
“I knew when Adam came around the bend I was going to have to work hard to push on but I’m really pleased to get the win. It is another stepping stone as we build it up this year so I’m glad to run a good leg for the team.”
Muir’s final year of veterinary studies mean she is unable to contest the Commonwealth Games in Australia, but she added: “We’ve been lucky that the vet school’s been so supportive and my coach Andy (Young) as well, he’s been by my side every step of the way.
“We planned years in advance, we knew I wasn’t going to do the Commonwealths quite a while ago. It’s just a matter of getting it all done now this year, hopefully winning a medal in the World Indoors, graduating as a vet and then hopefully a medal in the Europeans as well.”
Fife AC’s Stephie Pennycook helped Scotland ‘A’ to fifth place with Perth Strathtay athlete Sol Sweeney and Pitreavie’s Ben Potrykus playing their part to help Scotland ‘B’ to sixth.
Britain’s Emelia Gorecka finished just two seconds behind winner and defending champion Yasemin Can in the women’s 6km race, with Phoebe Law sixth and Verity Ockendon in eighth.
American Leonard Korir also made it back-to-back wins in the men’s 8km race, finishing three seconds clear of Europe’s Kaan Kigen Ozbilen, with Britain’s Ben Connor in fifth.
The aggregate team points over the five international races saw Team Europe claim the overall trophy ahead of the USA and Great Britain.
Dundee Hawkhill Harrier Kristian Jones (East) retained his men’s 8km Inter-District title, having been hallenged over the opening stages by Fife AC’s Logan Rees, who was representing Scottish Universities.
Rebecca Burns was the leading East athlete in the women’s 6km, won by Scotland-based Northern Ireland internationalist Fionnuala Ross (West/ Shettleston).
The East of Scotland youngsters outgunned their West rivals by winning five of the age group races. The U15 girls race saw 2017 U13 champion Anna Hedley (East/Fife AC) matched all the way over the 4km course by Anya Maclean (West/Garscube) as both took turns to take pole position.
A final 400m push from the St Andrews athlete saw Hedley grind out a seven seconds advantage to the finish in 14.56.
Saturday’s event looks to have been the last in Edinburgh with organisers GreatRun looking for a new venue following a decision by City of Edinburgh Council not to continue their support for the event, which moved to Holyrood Park in 2005.