Young Donald is a record breaker
There was an entry of just over 90 young athletes at the Argyll final of Sports Hall Athletics held at Atlantis Leisure in Oban last Sunday. The final was the last in a series of five competitions held in Argyll over the winter months promoted by Mid Argyll Athletics Club.
After over four hours of intense competition, four Argyll age records were broken and one equalled. Young athletes from the Oban area dominated in the boys’ events while in the girls’ events, the honours were shared between Kintyre, Mull, Mid Argyll and Oban.
The top performance of the day in the boys’ events was by Donald Campbell from Rockfield Primary who was the under-nines champion, winning all seven events with some style. Donald excelled in the running events and set a new Argyll age record in the four-lap race recording 57.8 seconds improving on the old record set back in 2007 by a fifth of a second. Donald had earlier set a new age record in the speed bounce event with 77 jumps in 30 seconds, adding three jumps to the existing record. Duncan Hunt from Lochnell Primary was runner-up in this age group and Joe Hill from Park was third overall.
James Muir from Rockfield was the under-11 champion ahead of Jack Green from Dalintober in Campbeltown. James won four events including the two-lap race in 24.6 seconds, close to the Argyll age record. Jack Green won the triple jump and in the same group Logan Gibson from Salen Primary won the high jump and secured third place overall. Rufus Hughes from Rockfield was fourth overall thanks to a win in the long jump.
Jacques Coates from Park won the under-13 contest, with Oliver Reid from Campbeltown runner-up. Murray MacDonald from Lochgilphead and Rhys Millar from Rockfield tied on points for third place. Jacques won the two-lap, four-lap and speed bounce. Murray impressed in winning the high, long and triple jumps in addition to the shot putt.
Quinn Soames from Bunessan on Mull was the under-sevens champion winning the javelin and the two running events. Quinn set a new Argyll age record in the four-lap event recording 63.9 seconds improving the record by over a second. Ruairidh Charnock from Lochgilphead was runner-up and won the long jump and placed second to Quinn in the four-lap in 64.5 seconds also inside the old record time. Charley Gilchrist from Dalintober was third overall in this age category thanks to a win in the triple jump.
The under-11 girls contest was the most competitive and of a high standard with only two points between first and second overall.
Kirstie Renton from Castlehill primary in Campbeltown was the champion ahead of Ellen MacRae from Salen on Mull.
Kirstie won the javelin and speed bounce with an excellent 79 jumps and placed second in four other events scoring 26 points.
Ellen dominated in the running events setting a new age record in the two-lap with 24.7 seconds almost half a second under the old record. Ellen later won the four-lap, this time equalling the record of 54.5 seconds. Ellen also won the long and triple jumps and placed second in the high jump which was won by Eleanor Dale from Ardrishaig who cleared 1.23 metres on her last attempt.
Castlehill Primary provided the winner of the under-13s in the shape of Violet Campbell who won five events including an impressive 53.8 seconds in the four-lap race. Violet also won the two-lap race, shot putt and both the long and triple jumps. Runner-up Evie Kellett from Salen won the speed bounce and Ruby Jo Phillips from Lochgilphead won the high jump.
Eilidh Cameron from Inveraray was the under-15 champion just ahead of Amy Gibson from Bunessan and Izzy Crawford from Furnace. Eilidh won both running events and the speed bounce. Amy won all three jumps including a 1.40 metres clearance in the high jump. Izzy won the shot putt, throwing 6.38 metres.
Jamie MacIntyre from Rockfield won the javelin and both the long and triple jumps to secure the under-sevens title ahead of two girls from Castlehill, Emma Johnston and Eleyna McEachran. Eleyna dominated in the running events with her winning time of 65.2 seconds