Scottish runners dominate on dwelling soil on the newest British Athletics Cross Problem
On November 11, athletes from throughout the UK gathered in Glasgow for the third occasion of the UK Athletics Cross Problem at Alexandra Park.
Competing in chilly, snowy situations, runners not solely battled one another, but in addition the powerful, hilly terrain of the golf course venue because the occasion doubled up because the Scottish Inter-District Championships.
Jamie Crowe from Central AC entered the senior males’s race because the defending champion after profitable final 12 months’s Problem fixture in Renfrew and hoped to say a victory after ending eleventh on the Liverpool Cross in November.
The 8km course, which featured three powerful laps, noticed the lead pack keep collectively till the ultimate phases, the place Crowe made his transfer to drag away and safe the title.
Aidan Thompson, Crowe’s coaching associate, completed in second place, whereas Cameron Allan of Houghton Harriers took third.
Aidan Thompson, Jamie Crowe & Cameron Allan (Bobby Gavin)
Reflecting on his win, Crowe mentioned: “It was powerful situations on the market with how chilly it’s, the bottom being actually exhausting, and there was powerful competitors as properly. It got here all the way down to the final kilometre so I’m joyful to get the win.
“The primary two laps I used to be getting used to what it regarded like and I found out which bits I felt greatest at which was the climb of the hill and the sharp corners. With one lap to go I pushed on from there and I used to be fortunate sufficient to get a spot so I didn’t need to dash end as a result of my legs had been going.”
Lynn McKenna of Shettleston took management of the senior girls’s race, pulling forward of her rivals, together with Morag Miller from Central AC and Mountain World Cup champion Scout Adkin from Moorfoot, who completed second and third respectively.
As she entered the ultimate lap of the course, McKenna pushed forward decisively, claiming the win. Her efficiency got here only a week after setting a private better of 9:25.07 on the Scottish Indoor 3000m championships.
McKenna informed Scottish Athletics, “I’ve run this course earlier than and I knew the hills go well with my strengths, so I knew if I used to be within the lead pack, I might see the place I used to be after a lap or two. I felt fairly robust, so I pushed it on, and nobody stayed with me this time, so it paid off.
“I by no means take with no consideration who’s within the race with me, and I give everybody the respect they deserve. These ladies have a great deal of expertise, so to get the win in the present day could be very particular.”
Lynn McKenna (Bobby Gavin)
Whereas the snow stayed away through the senior races, it made its look through the junior males’s race, which included each the under-20s and under-17s operating 6km.
Within the junior males’s race, Moorfoot’s Thomas Hilton marked the beginning of 2025 with a robust victory, taking the highest spot within the under-20 class as he pulled away from the pack within the final lap.
He crossed the end line 9 seconds forward of Erik Nederheim, whereas Joe Dixon of Morpeth completed third.
Within the under-17 class, Andrew Baird of Ross County delivered an excellent efficiency, bettering on his fifth place in Liverpool to take gold forward of Daibhidh Kinnaird from Cambuslang and Alasdair MacLean of Giffnock North.
The junior girls’s race was one other thrilling contest, with Zoe Gilbody from Telford AC claiming the win by 22 seconds.
The victory additional cemented Gilbody’s standout cross nation thus far, which included a group gold for Nice Britain on the European Cross Nation Championships in Antalya. She additionally loved a 3rd place end on the Cardiff Cross Problem and fourth in Liverpool.
She informed AW: “I felt robust in the present day, I used to be shocked. I used to be shocked on the quantity of hills in it and three laps of that’s powerful. My intention was simply attempting to get a spot on the downhill after which see what I’ve left.”
Ending behind Gilbody within the under-20 class was Swansea’s Hannah Kinane, who completed fourth general, whereas Anastasia Nilsson claimed the bronze.
Within the under-17 race, Isla McGowan of Banbury continued her wonderful type, taking the gold medal and ending a powerful second general. Zara Redmond of Kilbarchan secured silver on dwelling turf, whereas Olivia Forrest of Brentwood Beagles took bronze.
The under-15 boys race noticed an entertaining end as Billy Sutherland of Ross County celebrated his first Cross Problem victory by leaping over the end line. Sutherland triumphed forward of Falkirk Victoria Harriers’ Luke Sedman and Rory MacMillan, respectively.
Within the under-15 ladies race, Madison Welby of Metropolis of Lisburn and Windsor. Slough, Eton & Hounslow’s Kara Gorman went head-to-head in an exciting battle for the highest spot. Welby finally got here out on prime whereas Gorman took silver, as Freya Brown of Lasswade completed third.
Madison Kindler within the under-13 ladies race continued her dominant type, securing her third straight victory within the Cross Problem collection. Emma Nicholson of Giffnock North took second place and Ellie Blackhurst from Preston completed third.
The under-13 boys noticed Tom Ibbs of Musselburgh take the win forward of Alexander Wotherspoon of Regulation & District, whereas Preston’s Albert Yates claimed third.
The subsequent cease within the British Athletics Cross Problem collection shall be in Leeds, at Temple Newsam, on February 8.
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