More than 700 athletes will be chasing medals at the FPSG Scottish Athletics Senior and U17 Championships this weekend and you can watch the action live on this page of runjumpthrow.com.
A host of Great Britain and Scotland international athletes are on the start lists for Grangemouth, meaning there could be some exciting contests – with prize pots on offer at £2000 for athletes eligible for Scotland in the seniors and likewise at £1000 in para events – if certain performance standards are met.
Last year, Nick Percy (below) – who represented GB at the 2017 World Athletics Championships – scooped the full amount in the final fifteen minutes of the weekend’s competition when he won discus gold.
Nick and fellow thrower Kirsty Law are expected to defend their titles and other reigning champions to look out for include 1:46s and 2:01s 800m runners Neil Gourley and Mhairi Hendry, who competed at the Athletics World Cup and World Indoor Championships last year respectively, Olympian Chris Bennett (hammer), Lewis McGuire (high jump), Zara Asante (triple jump), Greg Millar (javelin) and Mike Deason (steeplechase).
Jack Lawrie has been champion the last three years in the 400m hurdles, while lining up in the sprints is nine-times Scottish medallist Katy Wyper, who has six titles and has only once failed to get onto a Scottish podium, indoors or out.
The men’s long jump looks good with a trio of under-20 GB internationals – Stephen Mackenzie, Alessandro Schenini and Calum Henderson – as well as Paul Ogun and David Martin. Allan Smith (below) finished fifth at the Commonwealth Games last year and lines up in the high jump along with David Smith (2.21m this year) and the aforementioned Scottish Universities champion Lewis McGuire. In the pole vault, Jax Thoirs – who’s career and life was threatened by a blood clot last year – is hoping to continue a strong season that saw him win at the England Athletics Championships
Female athletes likely to contend for the podium include junior international middle-distance runners Eloise Walker and Sarah Calvert – both 18 – along with Philippa Millage. Philippa took up athletics in 2010 aged 30 before getting her first Scotland call up in 2017 aged 37. Meanwhile, Commonwealth finalist Nikki Manson and European Team Championships competitor Emma Nuttall do battle in the high jump.
On the para side, Paralympic champion thrower Jo Butterfield, and three-time Paralympic and five-time world medallist Maria Lyle are expected along with racerunners Kayleigh Haggo and Gavin Drysdale. The latter pair set new world records at the England Championships following the sad passing away of their coach Janice Eaglesham, a widely respected figure in Scottish sport.
Catch the action on runjumpthrow.com from 1000 BST. Start lists, results and a timetable can be found here.
