ATHLETICS

Following an unsure start international orienteer Kristian Jones had little trouble in finding his way around Callendar Park, Falkirk, winning the senior men’s title at Lindsay’s Scottish National Cross-Country Championships, writes our athletics correspondent. Against the magnificent backdrop of Callendar House the Dundee Hawkhill Harrier, who finished second to Olympian Callum Hawkins 12 months ago, convincingly went one better this time around. With a field of 630 competitors Jones recovered from finding himself stuck amongst the masses but lost little time in navigating his way up to the leading group. Shettleston’s Lachlan Oates, third last year, Andrew Douglas (Inverclyde) and Logan Rees (Fife AC) soon had Jones for company until the final lap of three when the Welsh internationalist broke away. Jones had an untroubled run-in to the finish completing the 10km in 33 minutes 05 seconds followed by Oates 24 seconds adrift. International hill runners Douglas and Rees battled out the final climb to the Antonine Wall with Douglas prevailing to take individual bronze. In fourth Rees led Fife AC to a commendable 10th team place. Jones, who will now race the Big Half Marathon in London this weekend, commented: “The conditions were completely different from last year, much drier, and it was a completely different race. I got caught really far back at the start and it took about 1km to get up with the leaders. Then, on one of the short, steep hills I got a bit of a gap and I thought ‘just keep it and put the pedal down”. The team honours went to Central AC for a record-equalling eighth consecutive year beating Corstorphine and Shettleston Harriers. Having won last week’s North of England women’s title in the colours of Morpeth, Mhairi Maclennan headed the senior women’s 10km field pulling away from Edinburgh University colleague Stephie Pennycook. The battle between the two pulled them clear of the chasing pack with Anna Tait (VP Glasgow) finishing a distant third. Only eight points separated the top three teams with the Edinburgh students taking team gold ahead of Shettleston. Fife AC took team bronze courtesy of Helen Sharpe, Megan Crawford, Alison McGill and Halina Rees – the club placed 9 runners in the top 50 as 271 completed the race. Sol Sweeney (Perth Strathtay) and Tristan Rees (Fife AC) swopped their club colours for the black of Glasgow University placing first and second respectively in the under 20 men’s race Sweeney was a clear winner 19 seconds ahead of Rees, who powered his way through to second having been fourth commencing the final climb, Edinburgh AC’s Freddie Carcas was third with James Donald (Dundee Hawkhill) in fourth. Glasgow University took the team title ahead of Edinburgh University and Edinburgh AC. Fourth place also went to Ben Sandilands (Fife AC) in the Under 15 boy’s championship, surviving a gashed foot having been spiked early on in the race. As predicted the under 15 girl’s race saw a battle between Lily-Jane Evans-Haggerty (VP Glasgow) and Fife’s Anna Hedley with Evans-Haggerty defending her title just 10 seconds ahead of Hedley. The under 13 girls race saw Fife AC claim team silver led home by Isla Thoms 6th, Isla Hedley 7th, Ruby Methven 32nd and Ruby Russell 37th.