Report by Arthur Smith ...

In the glorious setting of Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Kilbarchan Athletic Club had 19 athletes competing at the International Cross Country meeting last weekend.

The Senior races give local athletes the opportunity of competing alongside the World’s best and the whole day was memorable in terms of the quality of competition and the overall spectacle which was highlighted by the enthusiastic and colourful support, particularly of the Eritrean and Ethiopian supporters.

Scott Hawkins was part of the Scotland under 20s team and he finished a creditable 49^th in the International 9.3K race which was won by last year’s winner and former World Champion Kenenisa Bekele from Ethiopia who narrowly beat current World Cross Country Champion Zersenay Tadesse from Eritrea in a fantastic finish in which only 1 second covered the first four athletes.

Kilbarchan had no fewer than 6 athletes in the Senior Womens race over 6.7K but no one could match the Ethiopian girl, World Champion and three times winner of this event, Gelete Burka who won by a distance. Elspeth Curran and Natalie Sharp competed for the Scottish under 20 team as well as being part of the West select that also included Kerry Lang, Cara Sloss, Leanne Hamilton and Christine Rankin. Top triathlete Kerry was first of the Kilbarchan girls, finishing 37^th to be second West counter, with Elspeth 5^th and Cara 6^th in the West counting team.

Ross Toole competed in the Invitation Short Course race over 4K and ran well to finish 2^nd Scot, 17^th overall.

The under 17 races also included an International competition and in the boys event, Callum Hawkins. representing the Scottish under 17 team did well to finish 5^th overall with teammates Andrew McAlpine 34^th and Nick Emsley 39^th.  In the under 17 women's race, Jessica Martin was 18^th and 6^th  counter in the West team that won the interdistrict competition. Connor Henderson was 11^th in the under 15 boys interdistrict race, 4^th West counter while Graham Evans was overall 15^th and Callum Macleod 21^st.  Younger girls also raced into being part of the West counting teams with Elaine Eadie 17^th and 6^th West counter for the under 15 girls while in the under 13 girls, Kate Gillies and Vanessa Hogan were 13^th and 14^th overall, 5^th and 6^th West counters. For the under 13 boys, Andrew Campbell did well to finish 29^th.

22 club athletes selected for Scottish and/or District teams ..  19 took part

International 9.3K incl Interdistrict .. 49 Scott Hawkins Scot u20/W   31.51

Invitation 4K .. 17  Ross Toole   13.30

International womens 6.7K incl interdistrict         

37 Kerrry Lang  2West  22.54;         

61 Elspeth Curran Scot u20 /5 West  24.07

68  Cara Sloss     6West  24.26;         

72 Natalie Sharp Scot u20 and West  24.35

76  Leanne Hamilton West    24.54;  

86 Christina Rankin  West     25.41     

u17 Interdistrict and Rep match ..

5 Callum Hawkins Scot 13.23 ..

34 Andrew McAlpine West 15.04   

39   Nick Emsley West  15.25

u17 Interdistrict and rep match ..

18 Jessica Martin 6West 16.36 ..

u15b Interdistrict .. all representing West District

11 Connor Henderson 4W ..

15 Graham Evans 9.51 ..

21 Callum Macleod 10.12

u15g Interdistrict .. 

17 Elaine Eadie 6W 11.17.

u13b Interdistrict  ..

29 Andrew Campbell 12.33

u13g Interdistrict ..

13 Kate Gillies 5W  11.44 ..

14 Vanessa Hogan 6W  11.45