Road race beats the shutdown but athletes now face a lay-off

Isla Thoms had a terrific final meeting before the sporting shut-down. Stock image.

Hundreds of Scotland’s young distance running talents headed to the event to take part in what may be their last race for some time.

As well as being the Scottish Championships, the races also incorporated the trial for the London Mini Marathon which will take place alongside the rescheduled London Marathon in October.

The club’s Isla Thoms, who recently won the Scottish Schools Cross Country Championships at Hopetoun House, produced the club’s performance of the day in the U15 girls’ race.

She secured the bronze medal behind the talented Giffnock North AC duo of Hannah Ryding and Valencia Wright and has qualified for the Scotland team for the London Mini Marathon. With team-mates Ruby Russell in 15th and Esmee Thoms in 31st, Fife AC’s U15 girls also won team bronze.

Ben Sandilands ran well and was unfortunate to miss out on a medal in the U17 men’s race, with bronze medallist Lucas Cairns of Inverness Harriers clocking the same time but being given the nod by officials.

There were also top ten performances from Katie Sandilands, who placed seventh in the U13 girls’ race, and Struan Bennett, who placed 5th in the U15 boys’ race.

Full Fife AC results were as follows:

U13 girls: 7 Katie Sandilands; U15 girls: 3 Isla Thoms, 15 Ruby Russell, 31 Esmee Thoms; U15 boys: 5 Struan Bennett, 19 Reiss Marshall, 56 Andrew Gourley; U17 women: 13 Jaden Lenny, 21 Libby Smith; U17 men 4 Ben Sandilands.