July 10th, 2024

Members of Cambuslang Harriers have been busy in recent months competing both in Scotland and outwith in championship events on road, track, trail and hills.

 Ryan Thomson was the leading Cambuslang athlete in the London Marathon which also incorporated the Scottish Championships event.  In spite of suffering from cramp in mid race he still clocked the excellent time of 2.21.24.  He was backed up by M40 athletes Iain Reid and Ian Hodge and M50 Iain Crawford.  Unfortunately Fraser Stewart was forced to drop out on account of a hamstring issue when well placed.  New member Maddyson Mallet recorded a fine pb of 2.52.05 while W40 Julie Reid reduced her pb by an impressive 7 minutes and 45 seconds.   Paula McCabe who was not far behind completed the female team.

Over the shorter 5K distance there was a double team triumph in the Scottish Road Championships at Silverknowes, Edinburgh.  Stefanie Tucker in 6th place led Eve MacKinnon and Holly Little to the senior women’s gold medal.  This feat was replicated by the well packed U20 men’s trio of Joel MacInnes, Lewis Roddis and Zak Povey who finished 5th, 6th and 7th.  Both teams made club history in capturing those title for the first time and the team members and coaches Mike Johnston and Colin Stephen deserve to be congratulated.

The M65 road relay team of Frankie Barton, Paul Thompson and Colin Feechan flew the flag for the club and for Scotland in the BMAF Championships at Leicester where they achieved the silver medals.  Colin and Paul distinguished themselves further by producing the 2nd and 3rd fastest age group times.

Ryan Thomson, Steven Fitzpatrick and Mark King also acquitted themselves well in West District Road Championship events.  Ryan took the silver medal in 10K event and Steven and Mark lifted the senior 10 miles bronze and M50 silver medals.

Meanwhile at the European Half Marathon Championships held in Rome on a hot and humid morning Moira Stewart competing for the Czech Republic registered the solid time of 73 minutes and 45 seconds. This event was a stepping stone for Moira as she prepares for the Paris Olympics Marathon in August.

Cambuslang athletes have also been among the medals on the track.  In the Scottish 10,000M Championships Chris Upson secured M60 gold, Colin Reilly and Justin Carter M35 and M50 silver medals respectively and Mark King M50 bronze.  Over the same distance Moira Stewart retained her Czech Republic title.  Chris later showed his versatility over a range of distances when setting a new Scottish M60 record of 9.55.14 in London which was also a personal best time for him and indeed his first sub 10 minutes clocking.  The Glasgow Gaelic School’s Relay team composed of Cambuslang athletes Daibhidh Kinnaird, Fraser Robb and Gabriel Murphy and mentored by PE teacher Iain MacCorquodale were decisive winners of the Scottish Schools’ Boys 3 x 800M Relay Title.  Prior to the schools’ relay event Daibhidh in his first year as an U17 athlete had gained a West District 1500M bronze medal. 

The Scottish 4J National Relays at Ayr attracted 2 senior men and one U17 male team for the 3 x 800M competitions.  The senior men were the defending champions as well as the National Record Holders.  Jamie Mackinnon and Chris McLew retained their places from last year and new member Andrew McGill, who just a few days earlier had broken the magical 4 minutes barrier for the I mile event, replaced Gavin Smith.  Incidentally Gavin’s training is progressing well after a lengthy injury.  Once again the trio led from gun to tape courtesy of Chris, Jamie and anchor man Andrew to retain their title and also to set a new national record of 5.43.18.  It was fitting that their coach Mike Johnston, the Road and Cross Country Convenor, was on hand to present the medals.  The senior B team of Rory Muir, Lewis Roddis and Alasdair McMonagle performed well in 6th place.  The U17 team of Angus O’Neil, John Frood and Daibhidh Kinnaird was just pipped for the bronze medal.  However, as coach Iain Reid pointed out all 3 are eligible to compete next year as will Euan Reid who missed out on account of illness.  Stefanie Tucker also had the honour of representing Scotland in the 3000M event at the Loughborough International Meeting.

The excellent early season track performances from Stefanie and Andrew meant that they were able to participate in the televised UK Championships which also served as the UK Olympic Trials.  Although neither qualified for the final the experience gained will surely stand them in good stead.

There was not only a change of date but also of venue for the Scottish Mid Distance Championships Trail Race.  The event was held in June rather than in September and was incorporated into the Birnam Trail Race at Dunkeld.   The club maintained its excellent individual and team medal performances.  Club secretary and coach Dave Thom took the M60 gold medal and there were M40, M50 and W60 silver medals for Iain MacCorquodale, Richard Cooper and Erica Christie.  Both female and male teams came away with silver medals courtesy of Rachel Wardrope, Natalie McWilliams, Erica Christie, Fraser Stewart, Iain MacCorquodale and Richard Cooper.  Natalie was obviously delighted, as was her coach Iain Crawford, to have picked up her first ever Scottish medal.

Justin Carter returned to competitive running in the BMAF 30K Trail Championships after sustaining a nasty knee injury on the descent of Ben Lomond when scoring a decisive M50 West District victory.   A period of enforced rest was required to allow his knee wounds to heal which meant that he had to miss the Scottish Trail Race for which he had entered.  In spite of losing valuable training time he then re- emerged to capture the M50 British bronze medal at Gravesend in Kent.

David Cooney