Morag takes podium spot
Central AC’s Morag Millar gave it her all in the Scottish Short Course Cross Country Championships last weekend but had to settle for silver medal in a hard fought contest over the flat and fast Lanark racecourse circuit.
There were medals too for Ben MacMillan in the Under 17 race while Scott Brember took the top Masters medal but otherwise it was a thin day for the Central squad.
In the senior women’s race, on-form Morag pushed the pace for the majority of the 4000 metre race, whittling the lead group down to four contenders and then just two over the last kilometre.
Unfortunately that second runner was Jemma Reekie, who sat in behind Morag for the bulk of the race and then had a kick left for the last 100 metres that Morag could not match leaving the disappointed Central runner with the silver in 13mins nine secs.
She led in a squad of young Central runners - Rebecca Craig (30th, 14.42); Lauren McCulloch (45th 15.02); Natalie Stewart (56th, 15.29) and Cliona Ferguson (115th, 17.12).
The senior men’s 4km race saw Alastair Hay lead home Central’s effort in seventh place recording 11.48 and with Scott Green close benhind in 10th (11.51). Dale Colley (27th; 12.16) and Matthew Sutherland (38th; 12.26) helped Central to fourth team spot on the day.
Scott MacDonald (39th; 12.28) made an all too infrequent appearance while Murray MacLarty (51st; 12.38) and Scott Brember (52nd; 12.39) ensured the yellow and blue vests were to the fore with Brember taking the championship medal for top over 40 runner.
With some 470 race finishers there were further good runs from Donald Shaw (265th; 15.01), Iain Dunsmore (317th; 15.31), David Eckersley (327th; 15.43), Charles Graham-Marr (328th, also 15.43), Ben Noad (348th; 16.02) and Colin Alexander (16.26).
Ben MacMillan has had a great start to the cross country season and he picked up an individual bronze medal, covering the 3k course in 9.47, only six seconds adrift of the winner,
Kane Elliott (Falkirk Victoria Harriers), who is the current Under 18 1500m European champion. Ben led home Central team-mates Lewis Dow (31st; 10.40), Daniel Bruce (64th; 11.24) and Kyle Howie (65th; 11.25) with the team in seventh overall.
Central’s Under 15 girl squad faced a fast and furious 2000 metre course through Summer MacLean (54th, 7.44), Naomi Howlieson (62nd, 7.52), Anna Buchanan 76th, 8.13) and Anna Reid (85th 8.23). Elizabeth Thompson was the sole Under 17 lady for Central running the 3000m strongly to record 33rd place in 13.06.
The Under 15 boys were faced by the same 2k challenge as the girls and it was Cameron MacMillan who led home Central’s challenge in 21st with a time of 6.27. He showed improvement in 29th with 6.31 leading in Euan Docherty (66th; 7.00), Euan Campbell (74th; 7.13), Jack Campbell (92nd; 7.33) and Ross Lawrie (94th; 7.34) and the team finishing in eighth.