Evans looks to defend shot and discus titles

Strathallan School scholar George Evans will defend his Group A (17-19) shot and discus titles in the colours of his adopted home at the Scottish Schools Championships at Grangemouth Stadium tomorrow.

He will also be a firm favourite to retain the AH Dalrymple Trophy, which is presented to the outstanding male thrower at the two-day meeting.

If the Inverness-reared athlete does win on what is the golden jubilee of the first award of a trophy gifted in memory of a former Golspie High School PE teacher and throws coach, he will maintain a remarkable tradition.

He will be continuing in a notable line of holders from outside the central belt, many of whom have gone on to further success as senior athletes.

Among the Midlands throwers to have captured the trophy the most outstanding is easily Paul Mardle (Arbroath High) who won it in 1978 and 1979 and went on to take the Scottish senior shot title in 1982 and two discus titles in 1981 and 1982, before later finishing fourth for England in the 1986 Commonwealth Games discus and fifth in 1990, and amassing three AAA titles and six UK titles.

When the former Culloden Academy pupil Evans, who went to Strathallan on a scholarship, set new figures for the senior boys’ shot and discus last year it was the prelude to an even greater achievement.

He travelled with the GB team to Columbia and won a discus bronze at the World Youth Championships with 60.22m with the 1.5 discus.

Evans added a silver for Scotland at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa in September with a throw of 58.19m.

Evans has been working hard with his current coach, Pitreavie-based Colin McCullough, and will be focusing mainly on the discus tomorrow with his target the World Junior Championship mark of 58m for the 1.75 implement. So far this season his best is 57.21m. Another former Strathallan School champion, Forbes Ridland, who won the Scottish Schools discus title in 1961, hopes to be present to watch his successor defend his titles.

George Evans receives the trophy from Sandy Sutherland, who was coached by Mr Dalrymple.