The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Clark D-day in quest for European 400m place
Athletics: Aberdonian performs superbly at Diamond League event
Aberdeen’s Zoey Clark will discover today whether her outstanding performance in the Muller Games IAAF Diamond League meeting at the London Stadium on Sunday will be enough to secure her an individual 400m place on the Great Britain team for next month’s European championships in Berlin.
The two-time Scotland Commonwealth Games international missed automatic selection when finishing fourth in the British championships and Euro trials at Birmingham this month, with the two guaranteed places going to Anyika Onuora (Liverpool) and Laviai Nielsen (Enfield and Haringey).
Clark needed a big performance in the Diamond League meeting to claim the third available place and she certainly did that, but it still might not be enough to secure selection.
Jamaica’s Stephanie McPherson won in 50.31sec but in her wake there was an exciting battle to become best of British which Clark came within a fraction of an inch of winning.
Amy Allcock (Aldershot Farnham and District), who was third ahead of Clark at the British trials, held sixth position in 51.36 with the strong finishing Aberdonian being given the same time in seventh.
It is the fastest Clark has run and it puts her fifth on the Scottish all-time best performers list.
Her coach, Eddie Mckenna, is keeping his fingers crossed, but admits he won’t be surprised if she misses out.
He said: “It all depends on how the selectors look at it. They both have the same time but in head to head competition Amy Allcock has the advantage.
“However, Zoey has much more experience of doing well at major championships and that’s one of the factors the selectors have said will be taken into account.”
Meanwhile, Deeside runner Steph Provan helped Scotland score an impressive victory against England to win the women’s team competition in the Snowdon international mountain race at Llanberis.
Bronwen Jenkinson became the first Welsh winner since 1989 when completing the 10-mile course in 1:20:42.
Miranda Grant (Hunters Bog Trotters) led the way for the Scots by finishing second in 1:22:20 while her clubmate Jill Stephen was fifth (1:24:24) and Provan claimed ninth spot in 1:29:31 to secure victory.
Provan’s Deeside clubmate James Espie was unable to make the starting line for the Scotland men’s team as he had not recovered from a bug which left him feeling weak and tired in the days leading up to the race.
Italy’s Alberto Vender won in 1:06:41 while Al Anthony (Ochil) was the first Scot in 11th position (1:11:06) with Robert Simpson 14th (1:11:49) and past winner Murray Strain (Hunters Bog Trotters) 17 th (1:13:16).
Former Aberdeen AAC stalwart Chris Smith (Thames Valley Harriers), representing England, finished fourth in 1:08:14.
“It all depends on how the selectors look at it”