GB international Jamie Bowie produced the second fastest men’s indoor 400m run on the all-time list at a busy Emirates Arena on Saturday.
The National Open seeks to offer early season opportunity to elite athletes as well as serving all age groups.
Bowie clocked 47.09 for the highlight on a day which saw other Scotland internationals like Claire Gibson, Jayne Nisbet, Guy Learmonth and Sarah Warnock take part.
The Inverness athlete’s dominant run over two laps at the Emirates was the second best indoor run of all-time by a Scot over 400m with only Brian Whittle’s 45.98 back in 1988 faster.
Olympian Whittle, now a coach, watched from the track sidelines on Saturday and later tweeted that in the season he set that record he opened indoor at 47.07 seconds.
‘I’ve had a few PBs in the past 12 months and it helps confirm that you are doing the right things,’ said Jamie.
‘I’ve support from British Athletics and the National Lottery and that’s helped. My (Polish) coach, Piotr Haczek, is back in Scotland full-time now and that is another big factor in this. I’ve good training partners, physio support and all the little things can make a difference for you.
‘I’m looking forward to next week and competing for Scotland in the Glasgow International against GB, United States and the Commonwealth Select.
‘I ran a domestic 400m once in the Kelvin Hall maybe five years ago – which was on shortly before the full meeting started. The arena was packed then and the atmosphere great but next week will be something special with 5000 people inside the Emirates.
‘It will be two very challenging races when you look at the 400m field and the fact the Bahamas, who are the 4 x 400m Olympic champions, are coming for the Commonwealth Select. It’s exciting for everyone.’
Bowie’s previous best indoors had been 47.65 – set a few years ago in Sheffield at a British Champs. Diane Ramsay of Victoria Park-Glasgow came up with a PB in the women’s 400m as she recorded 54.25 in a race that saw Gemma Nicol drop out injured.
Aberdeen’s Stephen Dunlop edged out Ryan Oswald in the men’s 60m sprint with Dunlop 6.96 and Oswald at 7.00 with Ross Maxwell in third at 7.05. That could land Dunlop a Scotland slot on Saturday in the live televised Glasgow International.
Roger Skedd was the best perfomer in the 60m hurdles with 8.31 ahead of Chris Baillie while Allan Hamilton was best in the long jump at 7.44m from John Carr’s 7.38m.
Claire Gibson clocked 2.04.81 with the Kilbarchan athlete pleased with her first race at the Emirates track.
‘I’ve trained here before but not raced and I’m pretty happy with that run – it is faster than I ran outdoors all last season,’ she said.
‘Now I am coming back to the Emirates to represent the Commonwealth Select and can’t wait to feature in the Glasgow International.
‘I feel in good shape and the National Open was ideal in that sense to prove it to myself. It felt quite comfortable and it should be a great women’s 800m race next week with Laura Muir in there for Scotland.
‘After that meeting I am headed to Australia for ten weeks. The Commonwealth qualifying time is 2.02.80 and I will chase that in the Athletics Australia Series – being there gives me a little longer because five weeks in the outdoor season here might not be long enough.’
Lasswade’s Guy Learmonth came up with his best career season opener so far with 1.49.65 and Cameron Boyek ran well in the 1500m in a Central vest in a time of 3.46.63.
In the women’s long jump, Sarah Warnock started her season with 5.92m. Her Edinburgh AC team-mate, Jayne Nisbet, cleared 1.80m in the high jump.
