Sports day will mark opening of new jumps facility at Lochgilphead

THIS Sunday, June 26, is the date set by Mid Argyll Athletic Club for their annual open sports day and age group track and field championships. The competition will be held at Lochgilphead Joint Campus and will mark the official opening of the new all-weather jumps facility. The jumps area has just been completed and will be a great asset not only for the local athletics club but also both primary and high schools at the joint campus. The jumps area is the first of its kind in Argyll.

Mid Argyll Athletic Club were fortunate to receive 50 per cent funding from sportscotland through the sports facilities grant and received generous financial support from Argyll and Bute Council and Mid Argyll Sports Council.

Bill MacCallum, secretary of the Mid Argyll Athletic Club, said that the project would never have gone ahead without the support of the council. The special projects group and the leisure and sport services manager were exceptionally helpful during the grant application procedure to sportscotland. Bill also praised Mitie staff, ABC schools and Dale Kupris, former Active Schools co- ordinator, for their valued contributions.

The sports day on Sunday will start at noon with all entries on the day from 11.15am.

The running events will be held on the 3G astroturf with the jumping and throwing events at the new jumps area on the higher level.

There will be running, jumping and throwing events for six age categories starting at under-seven up to under-17. The Scottish Athletics age qualification date of September 1 will apply to all age groups except the under-sevens, where it will be age on the day. The young athletes will be allowed to compete in a maximum of five events on the day and an entry fee of £2 per competitor will be levied.

All competitors will receive a medal and trophies will be awarded to first, second and third overall in each age group. Two new trophies will be contested in the undernines this year.

The new trophies are in memory of Hugh MacArthur, who was a founder member of the Mid Argyll club in 1984, and sadly died on June 27, 2015.

The sports day, which is sponsored by an Argyll and Bute Council third sector grant, is the only opportunity for young athletes from all parts of Argyll to come together to compete against each other.