Hutchison throws down gauntlet as defending champion Kelly bids to retain his crown

L ass wade’ s william hutchison fired a warning to defending champion Greg Kelly ahead of today’s 149th New Year Sprint at Musselburgh Racecourse by posting the quickest time in Saturday’s heats at Meadowmill Sports Centre in Prestonpans. Hutchison is chasing a double victory this afternoon after winning Saturday’s 90m final in a photo finish.

East Kilbride’s Kelly stayed on target to become the first man to retain the New Year title since 1934, taking the opening heat in 11.53 seconds, 0.01 faster than he ran in last January’s final despite starting the 110m handicap off five metres, as opposed to 8.25m last year.

Hutchison has flown under the radar, having apparently not raced since August 2015, yet he blew Kelly’s time out of the water in the very next heat, clocking 11.22 off 11 metres to set up an intriguing head-tohead in today’s first cross-tie (semi-final).

Edinburgh AC’S Sandy Wilson was equally impressive when winning heat three in 11.23 off 8.25m, while another Lasswade athlete, Kieran Reilly, and promoter Frank Hanlon’s “dark horse” Ryan Houten from Peebles also put down markers by clock- ing 11.31 and 11.32 respectively. Edinburgh’s Stacey Downie qualified as a fastest loser in Wilson’s race. Heat five failed to live up to billing as 2014 winner Dylan Ali missed out and 2017 finalist Calum Mcwilliam found 11.43 quick enough to progress. He faces Houten in today’s semis.

Back-marker Michael Olsen bowed out in fourth place in heat six, describing his task as “impossible” after starting off just 1.5m, but 1991 champion Doug Donald went through as a fastest loser at the age of 58.

Sixty-one-year-old ex-footballer Graeme Armstrong took the final heat in a modest 11.77 as last year’s runner-up Jordan Charters and 2010 winner Daniel Paxton both failed to advance.

Several events were decided on Saturday after the conclusion of the Sprint heats, with Hutchison out-dipping Inverclyde’s Mark Mclachrunning lan and Carlisle’s Megan Busby-bell in the 90m final as just 0.02 seconds covered the three medallists.

Busby-bell defeated Downie in the ladies final, while Maddison Murdoch (Larkhall) and Malcom Mcphail (Ayr) claimed the youth and veteran titles respectively.

Kelso’s Fraser Neil won the Open 800m off 70m in 1min 52.88 and Pitreavie’s Skye Marshall edged a highly-competitive youths half mile.