Aberdeen’s Bates bids to bring back better than bronze

Aberdeen University’s Zoe Bates will aim to match or improve on the bronze medal she won last year when she competes in the Scottish Student Sport crosscountry championships at Dundee’s Camperdown Park tomorrow.

Her opponents include Aberdeen clubmate

Grace Whelan and Tain’s Constance Nankivell, who was a member of the Edinburgh University side which won the Scottish cross-country relay title at Cumbernauld last weekend.

The Edinburgh squad also includes Aberdeen’s Hannah Morrison and Caithness’ Rhiannon Kirk.

Strathpeffer’s Scotland junior international Hamish Hickey, who represents Stirling University, will hope to make his mark along with Hamish Battle and Gavin Bryson.

Alexander Chepelin returns from illness to turn out for Edinburgh University along with Moray’s Cameron Young and Aberdeen’s Callum Symmons.

Emma Watt will attempt to extend her lead in the women’s division of the

Proms 3km series when the second of the six races goes ahead at Aberdeen beach today.

The JS Kintore club member opened her account with a narrow victory over Aberdeen AAC’s Jennifer Harrison and Peterhead AC’s Shelley Duncan last month.

She went on to achieve a confidence-boosting personal best time of 1hr 28min 28sec to take sixth position in the Aviemore half marathon. Metro Aberdeen’s Jason Kelly won the October round of the men’s competition but the Crathes half marathon champion is an absentee as he is on holiday.

Stonehaven’s Michael Barker was runner-up in October with Metro Aberdeen’s Jim Tole close behind in third spot and both could feature strongly again.

Grace Whelan