CSSAL League Match – Grangemouth – 25th April

Our juniors got their League season under way with a visit to Grangemouth for the opening match in Division 3 of the Central and South Scotland League.

Following a good cross-country season, Megan Robertson and Morag Paterson put their endurance base to good use to produce Personal Best performances in the Under 13 800 metres. Megan clocked 2 mins 46.7 secs to finish third in the “A” string event while Morag was first “B” string in 2:58.1. Not to be outdone Mhairi Cromar took second in the U11 Girls 800m with 3:09.4 while her twin Bruce was fourth in the Boys race in 3:10.1.

In the sprints, Fiona Cameron was second in the U15 100 metres in 14.53 secs, as was Katie MacGregor, making her track debut and timed at 16.74 in the U13 race. Rona Wilson and Jennifer McBride also made a fine debut, respectively placing third in the U11 80 metres “A” string and “B” string with 15:08 and 15.65.

Megan Robertson showed her versatility by winning the U13 Long Jump with 3.11 metres with Melissa Robinson second “B” string athlete with 2.70. Fiona Cameron’s 3.72 took fourth place in the U15 event with Erica Paterson only 5 cm behind to win the “B” string. Mhairi Cromar’s 2.79 gave her fourth in the U11s where Mackenzie Serpell won the “B” string with 2.66. Bruce Cromar jumped 2.64 to be second-placed U11 Boy while Xander Stevens won the “B” string with 2.47.

Josie Lynch’s throw of 11.52 metres placed her second in the U15 Discus.

Fin Ritchie was a one-man scoring machine in the U15 Boys age-group, placing fourth in the 400m (1:09.5), third in the 800m (2:42.5) and second in the Discus (6.97).

Other performances:

U11G – 800m – Mackenzie Serpell, 3:29.8; 80m – Jennifer McBride, 15.65

U11B – 800m – Ewan Mair, 3:46.3; 80m – Xander Stevens, 15.24, Bruce Cromar, 15.97

U13G – 100m – Melissa Robinson, 18.74

U15G – 100m – Josie Lynch, 15.91; 800m – Erica Paterson, 3:16.0, Charlotte Jennings-Maun, 3:16.8; Discus – Charlotte Jennings-Maun, 9.74

The afternoon was rounded off as usual with the relays (4 x 100m) where the Burgh gained good points. The U11 Girls squad of Mhairi Cromar, Mackenzie Serpell, Rona Wilson and Jennifer McBride won their race in 1:16.4. The U13 squad (Melissa Robinson, Megan Robertson, Morag Paterson and Katie MacGregor) and U15 squad (Josie Lynch, Charlotte Jennings-Maun, Fiona Cameron and Erica Paterson) both finished second in 1:05.4 and 1:01.0 respectively.

Scottish Secondary Schools Cross-Country Championships – Irvine – 14th March

A bright and breezy Beach Park in Irvine was again the setting for the Scottish Secondary Schools Cross-Country Championships, with over 700 athletes from across Scotland taking part, including a small contingent from Hermitage Academy. The small, medium and large loops making up the various distances had one thing in common, a few testing hills, although this was happily countered by generally firm underfoot conditions.

The largest field of the day, 133, lined up for the opening race, for Girls under 14, facing a distance of 2,400 metres. Megan Robertson quickly established a position in the top thirty and used the experience of a good winter’s training and racing to good effect in sticking with the early pace to eventually finish in an excellent 27th place in a time of 11 mins 51 secs.

Despite feeling unwell in the days before the race, Madeline Robinson took her place on the start line for the Girls 15 – 17 race, over 4,000 metres. A spirited run in the circumstances brought her home 55th of the 84 finishers in 19:46.

In the Over-17 Girls race, also over 4,000 metres, Cheryl Clark clocked 20:45 to finish 26th of the 34 competitors.

Scottish Athletics Indoor League – Kelvin Hall - 21st February 

Junior members enjoyed what was for most of them a rare competitive outing at this time of year, taking part in the Scottish Athletics Indoor League at the Kelvin Hall.

Not so rare for Fin Richie and Megan Robertson though. The indoor competition fell less than 24 hours after racing an energy-sapping two miles in the National Cross-Country Championships. To their delight, the pair shrugged off their soreness to record Personal Best times (PBs) over 800 metres indoors. Competing for the first time as an Under 15, Fin clocked 2 mins 44.3 secs, 8th fastest of the 11 boys competing. Megan clocked 2:52.6 to finish 9th fastest of the 19 girls competing in the Under 13 age-group. In the same event, Morag Paterson excelled in her first race since moving up to Under 13, missing out on breaking the 3 minute barrier by just one tenth of a second to place 12th.

Other good middle distance performances came from twins Mhairi and Bruce Cromar, both recording PBs in their respective Under 11 600 metres events. Mhairi improved by five seconds to 2:17.0 to place 6th of fifteen girls competing while Bruce’s new PB of 2:18.8 placed him 11th of the thirteen boys.

Best sprint performance came in the Under 15 age-group where Fiona Cameron’s 29.6 secs in the 200 metres was 5th fastest of seventeen girls. Lewis Serpell again produced the best Jumps performance. His 3.62 metres in the Under 13 Boys Long Jump placed him 5th of the 14 competitors. Megan Robertson again demonstrated her versatility, claiming 6th place of the sixteen competitors in the Under 13 Shot Put with her 5.30 metres.

Other results:

Under 11 – 60 metres – Mackenzie Serpell, 10.54; Standing Long Jump – Mackenzie Serpell, 1.52, Bruce Cromar, 1.40, Mhairi Cromar, 1.36.

Under 13 – 60 metres – Saul Collins, 9.84, Kate Storey, 10.56, Hazel Stanfield, 10.84; 200 metres – Morag Paterson 35.9, Melissa Robinson, 38.0; 800 metres – Jacob Chown, 3:19.1; 60m Hurdles – Lewis Serpell, 12.66; Shot Put – Saul Collins, 4.26; Long Jump – Kate Storey 2.57, Hazel Stanfield, 2.55.

Under 15 – 60 metres – Jamie Dods 8.95, Charlotte Jennings-Maun, 9.97; 200 metres – Jamie Dods, 30.5; 300 metres – Chloe Hassall, 58.1; 800 metres – Chloe Hassall, 3:19.7; 60m Hurdles – Erica Paterson, 11.92; Shot Put – Jamie Dods, 6.81, Charlotte Jennings-Maun, 4.44; Long Jump – Fiona Cameron, 3.31.

National Cross-Country Championships – Callendar Park, Falkirk – 20th February

Maddie sprinting for home

In the Junior races at a frost-bound Callendar Park, Under-13s Fin Richie and Megan Robertson faced an undulating two mile loop while Madeline Robinson in the Under 15s faced a further half mile which thankfully was on the flat.

Fin ran well to squeeze into the top 50 of the 121 competitors in the Boys U13 race, clocking 14:31. Megan then clocked 16:09 for 64th of the 115 in the Girls U13 race before Madeline’s 18:18 in the U15 Girls gained her 53rd place from the 101 finishers.

Christmas Handicap – Sunday 20th December

Only three Juniors turned out for the Handicap.  Well done to the three of them for getting round the snow-covered pavements so quickly and without mishap.  Melissa Robinson ran 6 mins 31 secs for the one lap, 1200 metre course for Under 11s.  U13s ran two laps for 2400 metres with Fin Richie clocking 12:01 and Megan Robertson 12:32.

 Maddie Robinson and Cheryl Clark took part in the Senior Tortoise and Hare Handicap.  Cheryl was quickest of the twenty “Tortoises” clocking 9:58 on the first of her two runs over the 1 mile plus loop.  Maddie meanwhile clocked a consistent 14:38 and 14:36 for her two runs over the larger loop of just under two miles for “Hares”, helping her team to fifth place.

Scottish Athletics Indoor League – Kelvin Hall – 13th December 2009

An excellent turnout and some good results at this the first Indoor match of the winter.   

Best-placed team were the Under 13 Boys, seventh of the fifteen teams in their age-group.  Lewis Serpell was the top points earner with third place in the 60 metre hurdles (12.65 secs), fifth in the Long Jump (3.79 metres) and ninth in the 800 metres (2mins:57.1 secs).

 For the Under 13 Girls, Megan Robertson was third in the Shot Put (5.72) while Rebecca Gibbs, in her first-ever competition, placed eighth with 4.88.  Megan also took tenth place in the 800 metres with a new Personal Best of 2:53.0.

 In the Under 11 Girls, Mhairi Cromar was fifth in the 600 metres (2:21.9) while MacKenzie Serpell was sixth in the Standing Long Jump (1.54 metres).

 Other results:

 Under 11 – 60 metres – Mackenzie Serpell, 10.81; 600 metres – Bruce Cromar, 2:19.1; Standing Long Jump – Mhairi Cromar, 1.34.

 Under 13 – 60 metres – Katie MacGregor, 9.96, Hazel Stanfield, 10.77 and Jacob Chown, 11.14; 200 metres – Kate Storey 35.9, Saul Collins, 38.9 and Hazel Stanfield 37.3; 800 metres – Melissa Robinson 3:15.3; Shot Put – Jacob Chown, 4.82; Long Jump – Melissa Robinson 2.80 and Kate Storey 2.61.

 Under 15 – 60 metres – Fin Richie, 9.77 and Charlotte Jennings-Maun, 9.98; 200 metres – Fiona Cameron, 30.7 and Jamie Dods, 30.8; 300 metres – Josie Lynch, 54.4; 800 metres – Chloe Hassall, 3:19.7; Shot Put – Jamie Dods, 6.86 and Josie Lynch, 5.13; Long Jump – Jamie Dods, 3.93.

 Under 17 – 60 metres – Morven Thompson, 9.61; 60 metres Hurdles – Madeline Robinson, 12.27; 200 metres – Madeline Robinson, 31.9; Long Jump – Morven Thompson, 3.70; Shot Put – Madeline Robinson, 5.76

West District Cross-Country Championships – Irvine – 5th December 2009

Megan

Irvine Bogside was “as good as it gets” for cross-country running when it hosted the West District Championships – mild, calm, dry conditions overhead whilst underfoot was, as the location suggests, boggy, but only in bits.

Fin

In the junior races, Megan Robertson, Fin Richie and Madeline Robinson all ran strongly to finish well up their respective fields. 

Maddie

The Under 13s faced the large two mile loop with Fin clocking 13:17 to finish 28^th in the Boys race while Megan ran 14:55 for 30^th in the Girls race.  Madeline tackled almost three miles in a mixed Under 15 / Under 17 race, finishing 24^th Under 15 in 21:01.