Child posts Olympic B standard time at Loughborough

PITREAVIE ATHLETE Eilidh Child produced Scotland’s top performance at the Loughborough Track and Field International winning the 400m hurdles, writes our athletics correspondent.

The Commonwealth Games medallist posted an Olympic B standard of 55.92 seconds the second fastest 400m hurdles run by a British woman this season.

Child commented: “This was a far better run than the one I had in the test event in London.

“I got the first hurdle wrong that day in the Olympic stadium and it set up the whole race wrong even although I won. This time I got away well and, while it was a wee bit messy around hurdles three and four, I am happy enough with that.

“There’s one date in everyone’s diaries, of course, and that is the AVIVA trials in Birmingham. You can’t think too far ahead.

“Hopefully I can post the A standard (55.50) at the Diamond League in Rome next week and then head into the trials. Fingers crossed, there’s something even bigger to look forward to after that.”

Hammer thrower Mark Dry won his event for Scotland with 74.82m while Emily Stewart debuted over 3000m steeplechase to clock a winning 10 minutes15.56 seconds fourth best in the Scottish all-time list.

Dunfermline & West Fife athlete Gemma Nicol had her best result for some time placing second in the flat 400m timed at 53.59 seconds behind England’s Kelly Massey 53.39. The match rounded off nicely for Scotland with a 4 x 400m victory for the women. Child led off followed by Lynsey Sharp, Gemma Nicol and Kathryn Evans.

Child’s comfortable first leg lead set the team up for a dominant victory in 3 minutes 34.24 seconds ( inside the Commonwealth Games standard of 3.36.60.) with Ireland second – 3:37.17.

Edinburgh AC’S Emily Dudgeon represented GB Juniors shaving more than three seconds off her personal best in the 800m, where only a strong Hannah England (2:02.05) could finish ahead of the GB junior’s time of 2:03.28 – a world junior qualifying time.

“I put myself under a lot of pressure” said Dudgeon

“I knew it was my big chance to be in a fast race and I had to take the opportunity.

“My exams start soon, the trials are soon after so from here it’s heads down for the work side of it.”

Following on from Saturday night’s personal best over 5,000m in Manchester, Eilish Mccolgan is set to take on her first 3000m steeplechase of the season this weekend in Belgium.

With Usa-based Scot Lenny Waite having run under 10 minutes twice in recent months, Eilish feels more Scots should look at the event.

“If we are blunt then I think it is a better event for British and Scottish girls because the Africans are quite dominant at 5000m,’ she said.

“I don’t think the gap is quite so big in the 3000m steeplechase.

“I’ve a personal best of 9 minutes 44 seconds myself and that was the day I’d broken my foot 500m from the finish.

“I’d like to think I can get down towards 9.30 although of course I’m not saying for certain that will be this season.”

Eilidh Child.