Hard races at track for athletes

SATURDAY saw 45 athletes competing at Clickimin athletics track in the Shetland Open Athletics Competition.

On the track Lee Williamson took first place in both the 100m and 200m, and in the women’s events Faye Richardson echoed his success, taking first and second. Faye also went on to take first in the 400m with Emma Leask hot on her heels in second.

Highlights of the day included hard fought races in the men’s 400m, where Scott Lawson came home to win comfortably and in the 800m, where Joshua Morrison faced his Junior Inter County rival, Thomas Newton. Following a sprint finish, Joshua came through to win to cheers from the Shetland team. Joshua also won the 1500m and the 3000m, with Bobby Bristow taking second in both races.

Katie Bristow took the honours in both the 800m and 3000m, while Sadie Younger took first place in the 1500m and 5000m.

In the longest race of the day, the 10000m, Karl Simpson took first place in the men’s race and Julie MacKay won the women’s race, with Karen Fraser coming through in second.

In the field, Maurice Williamson took first place in the shot, high jump, javelin and 5kg hammer events. Inga Woods took second place in the javelin, Karl Robertson took first in the 7.26kg hammer event and Sophie Kelman took first in the women’s 4kg competition. Sophie also took first place in the discus and Caitlin Watt took second, with Alan Williamson winning the men’s event, with Jamie Wilson second. Emma took first place in the women’s high jump with Karen Bannister in second. Eilidh Peterson extended her personal best in the triple jump, winning the women’s competition with Victoria Duthie in second place, with the places remaining the same in the long jump competition.

Sakchai Makao took first in the men’s triple jump with a new season’s best performance and Jamie Wilson took second, also with a season’s best jump.

Sakchai also took first in the long jump, with Ben Kerr taking second.

To round off an excellent day of competition, the men’s 4x100m relay team of Stuart, Lee, Scott and Karl broke the Shetland senior mens record and the Shetland women’s team also won their race.

Shetland Athletes Results: Track –

100m Men: 1 Lee Williamson; 2 Gareth Robertson; 3 Scott Lawson; 4 Karl Robertson; 6 Stuart Donald; 9 Ben Kerr; 10 Martin Leyland.

100m Women: 1 Faye Richardson; 4 Inga Woods; 5 May Williamson; 6 Caitlin Watt.

200m Men: 1 Lee Williamson; 4 Gareth Robertson; 6 Shaun Manson.

200m Women: 1 Faye Richardson; 3 Emma Leask; 5 Inga Woods; 6 Caitlin Watt.

400m Men: 1 Scott Lawson; 3 Lewis King; 4 Alan Williamson.

400m Women: 1 Faye Richardson; 2 Emma Leask.

800m Men: 1 Joshua Morrison; 3 Alan Williamson.

800m Women: 1 Katie Bristow.

1500m Men: 1 Joshua Morrison; 2 Bobby Bristow.

1500m Women: 1 Sadie Younger.

3000m Men: 1 Joshua Morrison; 2 Bobby Bristow.

3000m Women: 1 Katie Bristow.

5000m Women: 1 Sadie Younger.

10000m Men: 1 Karl Simpson.

10000m Women: 1 Julie MacKay; 2 Karen Fraser.

4 x 100m Relay Men: 1 Shetland 1; 3 Shetland 2.

4 x 100m Relay Women: 1 Shetland 1; 2 Orkland (two Shetland and two Orkney runners); 3 Shetland 2.

Field –

Triple Jump Men: 1 Sakchai Makao; 2 Jamie Wilson; 3 Martin Leyland.

Triple Jump Women: 1 Eilidh Peterson; 2 Victoria Duthie.

Long Jump Men: 1 Sakchai Makao; 2 Ben Kerr.

Long Jump Women: 1 Eilidh Peterson; 2 Victoria Duthie.

High Jump Men: 1 Maurice Williamson.

High Jump Women: 1 Emma Leask; 2 Karen Bannister; 3 Sophie May Leyland.

Hammer Men 7.26kg: 1 Karl Robertson.

Hammer Men: 5kg: 1 Maurice Williamson.

Hammer Women: 1 Sophie Kelman; 2 Elaine Park; 3 Lois Gray; 4 Caitlin Watt.

Javelin Men: 1 Maurice Williamson.

Javelin Women: 2 Inga Woods; 3 Victoria Duthie; 4 Lois Gray.

Shot Men 5kg: 1 Maurice Williamson.

Shot Women: 2 Elaine Park; 3 Sophie May Leyland; 4 Lois Gray.

Discus Men: 1 Alan Williamson; 2 Jamie Wilson; 3 Karl Robertson; 4 Lee Williamson.

Discus Women: 1 Sophie Kelman; 2 Caitlin Watt; 3 Lois Gray; 4 Eilidh Peterson; 5 Victoria Duthie.

Shetland Throws coach Elaine Park said: “Following the withdrawal of the Western Isles team from the proposed three island championships between themselves, Orkney and Shetland, the decision was taken to run the competition as an open event. Shetland Amateur Athletics Club welcomed eleven athletes who made the journey north from Orkney to compete and we had photo finish equipment present, provided and operated by volunteers from Scottish Athletics. The atmosphere was as friendly and relaxed as a competition can be, strengthening the ties between Shetland and Orkney Athletics.

Sponsorship from the Orkney Media Group made the competition possible and all the athletes would like to extend their thanks for their generosity, without which this competition could not have taken place. Thanks must go to the tireless band of officials who continue to support Shetland Athletics through their hard work.”