Plenty to celebrate both on and off the track for Fife AC

The club returned home with the three medals in the half marathon, which incorporated the Scottish Half Marathon Championships.

St Andrews University student, and Scottish Cross Country Championships silver medallist Kevin Wood, led the club’s men’s team home, finishing in an excellent 12th place overall and securing the bronze medal in the Scottish Championships with a 67.05 clocking behind Shettleston Harriers duo Weyney Ghebreselassie and Ben Johnson.

Kevin was closely followed by team-mates Derek Rae in 15th with a pb of 68.22 and Lewis Rodgers in 18th with a pb of 68.53.

For Derek, it was his second half marathon in a week having already won the Tachikawa Half Marathon in Japan.

With three runners in the top 18, which included elite athletes from the UK and across the world, Fife AC’s men won a well-deserved team silver.

Annabel Simpson was first Fife AC woman home, running 77.35 to finish eighth overall and secure the silver medal in the Scottish Championships behind Katie White of Garscube Harriers.

There were also impressive runs in the half marathon from Ryan Lafferty in 72.13, Alastair Gudgin in 73.35, Rory Scott in 76.16, James Hall in 84.49, Akira O’Connor in 85.37 and Halina Rees 90.51

In the 10k, Michael Sanderson, fresh from his 10k pb at the Stirling 10k in September, led the club home in 39th place with a 36.06 clocking.

In the junior race, Ruby Russell was seventh in 10.26 while Connor Cross was 110th in 17.53.

Further afield, there was success on the hills for talented juniors Anna Hedley and Struan Bennet who represented Scotland at the British Mountain Running Championships in Llanberis, Wales.

Anna finished second in the U17 women’s race, clocking 38.27 to lead the Scottish U17 girls to team gold.

Struan finished seventh in the U17 men’s race, clocking 34.04 to lead the Scottish U17 men to team gold.

Fife AC has also congratulated its club stalwart Ron Morrison for being elected as the new Scottish Athletics President at the AGM in Glasgow.

The popular coach, official and masters athlete, who recently won the British Athletics Endurance Official of the Year Award, has taken over from previous Leslie Roy after eight years in the role.

On his appointment, Ron said: “I’m delighted to have the privilege of being President for the second time and I look forward to the next few years in office.

“I’ve been in the sport a long time but I still have the enthusiasm for it from when I started.”