The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Scottish records tumble as Rees races on
Athletics: Youngster in great form in Sheffield
Banchory Stonehaven AC's Alisha Rees broke two Scottish under-20 sprint records on her way to winning gold and bronze medals in the English indoor age group championships at Sheffield.
The 17-year-old Great Britain youth international clocked 23.79 when winning the 200m to slice 0.39sec off her own national indoor record set at the Scottish senior championships in January. Rees won her heat in 24.28 then equalled her Scottish record of 24.18 when winning her semi-final, but that time was only the fourth fastest of the five qualifying finalists.
She then hit peak form in the final and the winning time elevates the Banchory Academy pupil to third position in this year's UK senior rankings. It is also well inside the qualifying standard required to be considered for a place on the Great Britain team for this summer's European junior championships in Italy.
Her coach, Willy Russell, was delighted with the performance and said: “It's a great time and it was achieved from the outside lane and with a stumble at the start. But she settled into the race and pulled away on the home straight.”
Rees warmed up for her 200m performances by cracking the Scottish 60m record on the opening day of the championships.
She clocked 7.43 when winning her semi-final to cut 0.07 off the previous record set by Giffnock North's Jenna Wrisberg last year.
Swansea's Hannah Brier went on to take gold in the final when recording 7.36 with Ireland's Ciara Neville (Emerald AC) second in 7.38 and Rees third in 7.45.
Rees's clubmate Claire McGarvey finished seventh in the under-17 girls' high jump when clearing 1.60m. Ashleigh West (Medway and Maidstone AC) won with 1.76.
Reuben McFarlane won British triathlete Jodie Stimpson has cried enough tears for Rio and is ready to throw herself into ensuring no more major championships take place without her.
When Stimpson, from Oldbury in the west midlands, won the Commonwealth triathlon title in Glasgow in 2014, she appeared certain to make up for the disappointment of missing out on the bronze in the under-15 boys' pole vault and also finished fourth in the shot with a throw of 11.18. His older brother Andrew was seventh in the under-20 men's pole vault with a height of 4m but another brother, Daniel, failed at his opening height of 4m.
“Achieved from the outside lane and with a stumble”
London Olympics by qualifying for Rio.
But an injury at the wrong time put her on the back foot and a winnertakes-all competition with Helen Jenkins at a race in Australia for the final spot on the British team went the way of the Welshwoman.
Stimpson admits the thought of committing to another four-year cycle building up to Tokyo in 2020 was initially too much to bear, but her Olympic ambition still burns brightly. The 28-year-old said: “Missing Rio was absolutely devastating, it’s the worst thing I’ve had to go through and I don’t want to miss another championship.
“That’s how I got through missing London.
“This hurt a hell of a lot more just because of the position that I was in, I was so close to making it and didn’t, but looking in hindsight I did all that I could have done so no regrets.
“I use it as fuel. It’s always going to be in the back of my mind, but that feeling will drive me on.
“I love triathlon, I never stopped loving triathlon and the day I stop loving it is the day I’ll quit.
“I couldn’t see myself going through another Olympic cycle and that’s the bit that took some time, but I do want to go to the Olympics. As soon as it became a little bit better I could start looking to the future.
“I was so close to getting to Rio, and if I don’t give myself another opportunity I’ll just regret it.
“I have few regrets and I don’t intend to make that one.”