Younger runners chalk up wins for Harriers

Lucas Cairns and his sister Anna emulated Mhairi Maclennan’s senior women’s success by scoring notable victories for Inverness Harriers in the younger age group races at the Scottish inter district cross-country championships.

Lucas won the under-15 boys’ title by completing the 4km course in 13min 29secs to finish six secs ahead of Christopher Perkins (Giffnock North) while Shaun MacDonald (Deveron Harriers) narrowly missed a medal when finishing fourth in 13:54.

Anna scooped the under-13 girls’ crown by recording 11:25 for the 3km route. There was a close battle for second position with Cairns’ Inverness clubmate Grace MacDonald edging home ahead of Aberdeen AAC’s Phoebe Armstrong, both athletes sharing the same time of 11:30.

Another Aberdeen runner, Johanna Mackenzie, was fourth in 11:38 and she and Armstrong helped the East District win the team title.

Megan Keith (Inverness Harriers) was pipped for gold in the under-17 women’s 5km in which Cera Gemmell recorded 18:33 to finish one second ahead of the North athlete. Aberdeen AAC’s Caitlin Purcell, 13th in 20:21, was the final scorer for the winning East side in the team contest.

In the under-13 boys’ 3km race, Finlay Ross (Harmeny AC) won in 10:25 with Corey Campbell (Team East Lothian) runner-up in 10:28 while Moray’s Roy Taylor picked up bronze in 10:31. Scottish junior mountain running international Sunny McGrath (Deveron Harriers) was fourth in the under-17 boys’ 5km won by Hamish Armitt.