The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Khan and Pacquiao will get it on
British fighter Amir Khan will fight WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao from the Phillipines on April 23 at a venue to be announced.
There were reports earlier this week an agreement was in place for Pacquiao versus Khan to take place in either Bolton or Manchester.
Pacquiao continues to be trained by Freddie Roach, but Khan left the American in September 2012 and is now under the tutelage of Virgil Hunter. Aberdeen AAC’s Broc Drury ran the race of his life to win the under-20 men’s gold medal in the Lindsay’s Scottish cross country championships at Falkirk’s Callendar Park on Saturday.
The title had never previously been won by a runner wearing Aberdeen AAC colours although Mel Edwards was gold medallist when representing Aberdeen University in 1964.
Drury, who was runnerup in both the East District and Scottish inter-district championships earlier in the season, hit peak form at just the right time to take apart his opponents over the strength-sapping muddy course.
He completed the 7.6km route in 25min 45sec with Great Britain junior international Euan Gillham (Kilbarchan AAC) second in 25:54, five seconds ahead of Jamie Williamson (Springburn Harriers).
Stornoway’s Connor Maclean was eighth in 26:21.
Drury also led Aberdeen AAC to bronze medals behind Fife AC and Cambuslang Harriers in the team competition.
Tyler White (23rd, 28:35), Aaron Odentz (29th, 29:09) and Fraser Cruickshank (33rd, 29:42) were the other scorers.
The Aberdeen athlete, who had been struggling to shake off a foot problem in the countdown to the race, was delighted with the outcome and said: “I haven’t been able to train properly for the past five weeks and yet I’ve run one of my best races, it’s amazing.
“I sat back in the early stages and it wasn’t until about three-quarters of the way into it that I decided to make my move as I thought
“I haven’t been able to train properly for the past five weeks”
the people around me were struggling a bit.
“I just went for it, but I was worried towards the end and I was almost sick with 600metres to go.
“It was unexpected but I’m really pleased.
“And it was great that we won team medals as well.
“There’s a fantastic spirit about our training group at the moment and this really helps develop that.”
Saturday was also an memorable occasion for the runners from Inverness Harriers who picked up a national team title for the first time in the under-13 boys’ race.
Lucas Cairns created his own piece of history by becoming the first runner from the Highland capital’s club to win a medal in this age group by completing the 3.2km course in 10:55 to take silver behind Lasswade’s Harry Henriksen who won in 10:44.
Cairns also led his side to success in the team competition with backing from Euan Rollo (ninth, 11:36), Angus Rutter (19th, 11:57) and Duncan MacDonald (21st, 12:01).
There were also fine individual performances from Metro Aberdeen’s Scott Coull who was sixth in 11:28 and East Sutherland’s Cameron Welsh, eighth in 11:31.
Sunny McGrath put the north-east’s newest club, Deveron Harriers, on the map with a bronze medalwinning performance in the under-15 boys’ race.
Giffnock North’s Hamish Armitt won by completing the 4.2km circuit in 12:51 while Christopher McLew (Cambuslang Harriers) pipped McGrath by one second to take silver in 13:21.