BUTCHART IN PLEA TO TAKE ON WORLD
ANDY BUTCHART has pleaded with UK Athletics chiefs not to treat cross-country as second-class after making his case for a trip to the world championships in Saturday’s Great Edinburgh XC. The 23-year-old prospect from Perthshire came 16th in the senior 8k, won by American Chris Derrick, on a day where the icy conditions tested even the most resilient of runners. The result figured heavily in overall victory for the Americans in the team international, with Great Britain & Northern Ireland relegated into third by Europe. Yet despite hints that only a threadbare British squad will be taken to China in 10 weeks’ time, Butchart wants a chance to take on the world. ‘I hope they take a small team at least,’ he said. ‘They have the money, definitely. They have to give us a chance sometime, so why not now?’ England’s Emilia Gorecka ultimately saved some of the hosts’ blushes by dominating her rivals in the women’s 6k but the twice-European junior champion now senses it is time to make her mark on the track. ‘There’s so much more,’ she vowed. ‘My 1,500metres time has to change. In training it’s there. I just haven’t raced a quick 1,500. And then, hopefully, that helps for the 5,000. I definitely consider myself a track runner now. I still like cross-country but I want to move on to the track.’ American ace Garrett Heath matched Derrick in repeating his 2014 triumph in the 4k invitational, with 10th-placed Scot Chris O’Hare simply satisfied to survive before returning to his Boston base today. ‘It was just good to get out there and have a little bit of fun,’ he said. ‘Although it wasn’t much fun.’ Morag McLarty snared first place to guide East Scotland to a points victory in the Inter-Districts.