The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Universities challenge as sprinter eyes Scots place
Ireland’ s Harrison hoping to compete against her home country
Aberdeen’s Ireland international Roisin Harrison hopes that a good performance in tomorrow’s Scottish universities and colleges track and field championships at Grangemouth will earn her an opportunity to compete against her home country next month.
The 21-year-old Limerick woman, who is coming to the end of her third year studying for a degree in psychology, will compete in the 200 metres with the aim of achieving a podium position.
That might be good enough to secure another trip to Grangemouth in May to represent Scotland in the universities and colleges international against Ireland.
She said: “I’d be buzzing to do that as it would be amazing to compete for Scotland against Ireland. That’s my incentive to do well this weekend so I’ll be trying to get a medal.”
Harrison is hoping to get back to the form she showed in 2015 when she was a member of the Ireland 4x100m relay team at the European under-20 championships in Eskils- tuna, Sweden, where her side finished fourth.
She started her university course in Aberdeen a few months later but her progress has since been hampered by a persistent foot problem.
Harrison said: “It took a long time to work out exactly what the problem was and to be honest I’m still not 100% sure but it seems to be under control. However, it has meant I’ve had a lot of interruptions.
“I did all right last year, getting bronze medals in the Irish and Northern Irish under-23 championships. Now I’m just aiming to run as fast as I can.
“I might do the 4x100m relay this weekend as well as the 200. The Irish under-23 championships at Tullamore at the end of June is another major target for me this year.”
Despite her injury setbacks, Harrison has no regrets about having made the move to Aberdeen.
She said: “I love my university course and, although my athletics hasn’t gone quite to plan, I am really happy I came here. I am really enjoying it.”
Harrison’s opponents in the 200 at Grangemouth include Robert Gordon University student Rebecca Matheson but title holder Kelsey Stewart won’t be there as she is on Commonwealth Games duty in Australia.
Matheson, who was 200 silver medallist in the Scottish universities and colleges indoor championships earlier in the year, will also compete in the 100m.
Harrison will be joined in Aberdeen’s relay squad by Eszter Csorba, Sharon Jakisa and Francesca Butler. Aberdeen’s Daniel Rees is to defend his title in the men’s 400m, while Ross County athlete Daniel McFarlane (Glasgow University) will aim to do well in the pole vault and 110m hurdles.
Inverness thrower Paula Gass (Strathclyde University), who set a championship record of 44.78 in 2014, defends her title in the women’s javelin, while Marcus Morton (Robert Gordon University) aims for a second win in a row in the men’s high jump.
“It would be amazing to compete for Scotland”