Brits fail to make Hampden impact
THERE was to be no repeat of Eilidh Childs’ Friday night magic as Glasgow’s athleticswatchers were brought down to earth ahead of the Commonwealth Games. said:“I’ve ended up with a nerve irritation in the back of my knee and I apologise for not competing. I hope to make up for it in two weeks’ time.”
So the event needed something a bit special to rival Child’s excellent 400m hurdle triumph to stop it from falling just a little flat.
It meant the crowd’s main focus switched to three Tartan battles — Eilish McColgan v Lennie Waite in the 3000m steeplechase, Chris O’Hare v Jake Wightman in the 1500m and Lynsey Sharp v Laura Muir in the 800m.
Alas, the steeplechase girls tailed off with more than half the race remaining, and Waite trailed in a hugely disappointing 14th and last.
McColgan, who this week revealed she’d been suffering heart palpitations, finished two places ahead of her, in a season’s best of 9.44 but outside the European qualification standard she was seeking.
O’Hare and Wakeman, though, both posted lifetime bests in finishing fifth and sixth respectively behind Kenyan Silas Kiplagat.
Sharp was involved in a blanket finish for fourth in the 200m, eventually being given sixth spot in the photo, with Muir back in ninth.
GB’s A team won a sub-standard the 4x100m men’s relay, with Scotland’s separate team finishing fifth.
There was an impressive 400m from fast- improving 19- year- old Brit Matthew Conrad-Smith, who shaved almost a second off his personal best to finish third.
Jodie Williams also clocked a lifetime best in finishing fourth behind flying Du t c h w o m a n Da f n e Schippers in the 200m.
After all the withdrawals, the international flag was flown by superstar David Rudisha, running in the UK for the first time since he won gold and broke the Olympic 800m record in London. The Kenyan won by a street with the fastest time in the world this year. THE Marabou Fancy is a good tail pattern tied on a size 10 Kamasan B175 with scarlet tying thread.
The tail is pink or peach marabou pinched short; the body is red seal’s fur ribbed with silver wire and the fly is finished with three turns of a furnace hen hackle.
Orchill Loch, near Braco, is fishing well at present with Sue Heggie, from Cairns in Australia, taking a fish of 2lb on an Orange Fritz.
William Smith (Menstrie) had three for 11lb on Sedge, D Birkmyre ( St Fillans) took a brace weighing 6lb 12oz on a Red Buzzer and Allan Mitchell, from Stirling, bagged two for 5lb on Dries.
Despite the high temperatures, Middleton Fishery near Largs is producing the goods with Boobies, Cat’s Whisker and theYellow Owl all worth a swim.