Scottish Highland Games Association

COMPETITION AS HOT AS THE WEATHER AT BURNTISLAND

Shane Fenton reports from The Links

After a cloudy start the skies cleared and the Links was bathed in warm sunshine for the 364th Burntisland Highland Games.

Similar to he weather the competition in the track and field events was also hot.

The throwing events were of a high standard with Scott Rider,Kent who was crowned as World champion at Loch Lomond Games 48 hours earlier along with joint runners up Lukasz Wenta,East Kilbride and Matt Vincent USA in action. The opening 16lb shot putt event was won by Lukasz Wenta with an excellent throw of 57' 7'' ,then similar to the World championship Matt Vincent won both the 28lb and 56lb weight for distance competitions.

Scott Rider then won the 22lb hammer before sharing first place in the caber along with brothers Sebastien and Lukasz Wenta and Matt Vincent. The 56lb for height was won by Lukasz Wenta who was the only competitor to throw 16 feet.

There was exciting finishes along with hard luck stories in the running events. The Open 90 metres which carried a first prize of £250 was run off in three heats, victory in the six runner final went to joint backmarker Ewan Dyer,Pitreavie AC who got up close home to snare John Fleming Kelso and recent Alva sprint winner Cameron Smith. Dyer, who also won this race in 2011 clocked 9.76 seconds. Geoff Keen,David Lauder and Stephen Park completed the final line up

Willie Bates,Tullibody was a fortuitous winner of the Open 200 metres handicap, Geoff Keen,Selkirk looked home and hosed only to stumble and fall a couple of yards from the finish line, although his arms were over the line his whole body wasn't and it was left to Bates to snap the worsted in 22.70, he was followed closely by Graeme Armstrong,Edinburgh and Graeme Gibson,Cowdenbeath.

There was good field of 12 runners for the Open 800 metres handicap, it saw Kyle Henderson Pitreavie AC emerge from the pack to win his first senior race on the games circuit holding off the determined challenge of Graeme Gibson with joint backmarkers Rory Muir Aberdeen AC and Craig Robertson flashing over the line in unison with the judges giving Muir the third place verdict.

Craig Bell Forfar is enjoying a purple patch at present, following on from his 800m win at Loch Lomond on Saturday he produced another gutsy performance to win the Open 1600 metres, Bell hit the finish line in 4:34.57 to deny Tyler White,Pitreavie AC and Rory Muir.

The latter eventually got his head in front with victory in the 3200 metres handicap, he had to work hard however to overhaul Greg Walker Hawick of whom he was giving a 185 metres start, it was only over the final 400 metres that Muir managed to get the upper hand over the Borderer, Rory Anderson also from Hawick stayed on for third place.

Both Youth's 90 metres and 200 metres handicaps were won in impressive style by Billy Doyle Pitreavie AC, in the 90m he powered home in 10.18 with Euan Smith,Central AC and Samantha Turnbull,Peebles filling the minor berths, the other finalists were Natasha Turnbull,Peebles and Sean and Stephen Bates Tullibody.

In the 200 metres, running from a reduced handicap Doyle stormed down the back straight and round the famous Burntisland hairpin bend before reeling in Lothian Running Club sisters Hannah and Erin Steel to win in 24.33 seconds. Hannah crossed the line in second place with Erin in third.

The Youth's 800 metres was dominated by youngsters who made the long journey up to Fife from Chirnside in the Borders. Brothers Ross and Daniel Harris made all from their joint front mark of 220 metres to hold on from their training companion Rory Williams in 2:05.29.

There was field of seven riders for the cycling events and they were relieved to be racing on kinder under-wheel conditions than they endured the previous two days at Rosneath and Loch Lomond.

Stevie Jackson,Glasgow took the 1600 metres to the delight of the many day trippers from the West of Scotland who were in attendance at the games. Paul Gallacher,Kirkcaldy finished runner up with Davy Mathieson,Newburgh in third. The latter then claimed victory in the 3200 metres with Gallacher again second and Charles Fletcher,Grantown on Spey third. The 18 laps 4800 metres handicap was won by backmarker Fletcher who relentlessly reeled in his rivals lap by lap, Stevie Jackson won the battle for second place over James Melville,Dumbarton. The Deil tak the Hindmost was a similar outcome with Fletcher again taking the win from Jackson and Melville.Gus Gillies,Peebles and Ian Hepburn,Cairneyhill completed the cycling line up.

Published: 2016-07-18 21:21:53