Kirkcaldy schoolboy runs qualifying times for Commonwealth Youth Games

At the Glasgow Milers Meet at the Emirates in Glasgow, Balwearie High pupil Adam ran well under the 3000m qualifying time of 8.40 when setting a personal best of 8.35.36.

Just four days later, he ran under the 1500m qualifying time of 3.55 when setting a new indoor personal best of 3.53.36. A hugely successful start to 2017 for Adam and his coach Steve Doig.

Fife AC athletes returned home from the annual Inter District Cross Country Championships at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh with an individual gold and a handful of team medals.

Iain McWhinnie, Ben Sandilands, Gavin McWhinnie (all Kirkcaldy) competed for East of Scotland Under 15 Boys team at the Great Edinburgh Cross-Country/Scottish Inter-District Championships.

On what was an unseasonably mild day, with much more forgiving conditions than in previous years, there were a number of very promising performances from the club’s junior and senior athletes.

Anna Hedley produced a fantastic gold medal winning performance in the U13 girls race, confidently leading the race from gun to tape.

The win marked Anna’s sixth major individual victory this season, having already won the both British Athletics Cross Challenge events, both East District Cross Country Leagues and the East District Cross Country Championships this winter.

One of the most impressive runs of the day came from U20 Logan Rees, who finished in a credible seventh place in a high quality senior and junior men’s field which featured Scottish 5000m Champion Kristian Jones of Dundee Hawkhill, US-based GB Cross Country International Luke Traynor of Giffnock North AAC and former winner Murray Strain of Hunters Bog Trotters.

The Edinburgh University student, who was taking part in the race for the first time having been previously side-lined with injury, was also part of the bronze medal winning Scottish Students team.

There were also strong runs from our junior boys. The fast improving U15 boys team delivered again, with Iain McWhinnie in 6th and Ben Sandilands in 11th both part of the gold medal winning East District team.

In the U17 men’s race, last year’s U15 boys winner Robert Sparks ran well to finish 8th in his first year in the age group. Team-mate Euan Boyle was close behind in 13th and both boys were part of the silver medal winning East District team.

Kirkcaldy’s Steph Pennycook was a late call up for the Scotland team in the International 4 x 1k Mixed relay at the same event. The Scotland team placed 8th in what was a closely fought race. Earlier the same week, Steph started her indoor season well, running an indoor personal best of 9.45.48 over 3000m.