HARRIERS HOPES: NEWSOM SPEARHEADS INVERNESS BID

John Newsom heads the Inverness Harriers squad in the national crosscountry relay championships at Cumbernauld.

The squad includes track specialist Stephen Mackay, Aviemore 10km winner Donnie Macdonald, Glen Moray half marathon winner Gordon Lennox and former Scotland hill running international Graham Bee.

Olympians Andrew Butchart (Central AC) and Callum Hawkins (Kilbarchan AAC) are both expected to compete in the championships which have attracted a record 2,390 competitors representing 553 teams. Butchart, who broke his Scottish record when finishing sixth behind Mo Farah in the Olympic 5,000m in Rio, will be aiming to lead Central AC to a fifth title.

Hawkins, who was ninth in the Riomarathon, is attempting to help Kilbarchan win for the first time after finishing third in 2014.

Caithness athlete Andy Douglas will represent an Inverclyde team bidding for a first title success in five years. The Great Britain mountain running international was in the team which won in 2010-2011 and in 2011--2012 and he was also in the silver medal side in 2014-2015.