Morpeth Harrier Cat makes her debut with Scotland

Having qualified at the Ben Lomond Hill Race in early May, Morpeth Harrier Cat Macdonald lined up to make her debut representing Scotland in the Hill Running Senior Home International, which incorporated the GB up and down trials for the European championships, at Alva in the Scottish Central Lowlands on Sunday.
Catriona Macdonald proudly wearing her Scotland vest in Stirling.Catriona Macdonald proudly wearing her Scotland vest in Stirling.
Catriona Macdonald proudly wearing her Scotland vest in Stirling.

The event, organised by UK Athletics, incorporated the Senior Home International with teams from all the Home Nations involved. The Women’s race was won by Scout Adkin (13th overall, representing Scotland) in a time of 1hr 25min with Shildon athlete Kate Avery 2nd in 1:29 and 19th overall and Edinburgh University athlete Holly Page 3rd and 20th overall in 1:31.

Macdonald finished 27th overall and 9th female, and was the third counter for the Scotland team in a time of 1:36. Her selection followed a highly successful cross-country season and the win at the classic Ben Lomond Hill Race a fortnight ago.

England won with Scotland 2nd and Northern Ireland 3rd.

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Macdonald also ran the Uphill Only race on Friday evening at Ben Lomond in typically west coast wet and murky conditions.

Nick Swinburn, running for Northumberland Fell Runners, also ran both events and finished 12th overall on Sunday finishing in a time of 1:25.

The previous weekend saw some 24 Morpeth Harriers, including Senior and Junior athletes, involved in the NECAA Track and Field Championships at Middlesbrough.

Among the 16 medals won were some eight golds. Nisha Desai was the club’s only dual winner, with a gold in the 800m final in a time of 2:14:83, and in the 400m on the Sunday in a time of 59:17.

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Her watching mother, veteran Harriers coach Vina, could also take pleasure in seeing another of her charges, U20 Triple Jumper Charlotte Earl, take gold with a best of 10.94m.

There was further field success with victory for Edward Gardiner in the U17 Discus, which he won by nearly eight metres with a personal best of 40.44m.

On the track, Alistair Douglass successfully front ran the 800m, winning in a time of 2:00:17 with a five second margin. Club colleague Phil Winkler made his journey from Leeds worthwhile, posting a time of 15:30:39 when winning the 5000m.

One of the most exciting finishes took place in the U17 800m final, with three Morpeth Harriers involved. Won by Will De Vere-Owen with a pb of 2:02:47, Joe Close also took a bronze with Elliot Mavir seventh.

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The club’s final gold was won by sprinter Connor Phillips in the U15 300m with a time of 39.88s.

Silver medals were won by Alexandria Hodgson in the Hammer with a throw of 19.47m, U/15 Oliver Tomlinson in the 1500m and U15 Amelia Hamlin in the 300m.

Bronze medals were also won by U17 Freya Caygill in the 200m, Bertie Marr in the U17 1500m and Connor Marshall in the Senior 1500m.

Meanwhile the silver medal won by Matthew Walton in the U20 5000m at Middlesbrough was added to by him a week later with a bronze in the NECAA 10,000m at Chester-le-Street.

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