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Weatherman gets it wrong as Strathallan meeting enjoys an action packed day.
WEATHERMAN GETS IT WRONG AS STRATHALLAN MEETING ENJOYS AN ACTION PACKED DAY.
Shane Fenton reports from the WALLACE MONUMENT
The forecast thunderstorms stayed away and the 168th Strathallan Meeting enjoyed dry and warm conditions.As ever the crowd was big and they were treated to a fine afternoon of action.
As always at Bridge of Allan there was a big entry for the athletic events with clubs from all over the country being joined by athletes from Canada, America, England and Ireland. Despite the big entry the 90 metres handicap with the biggest prize of the day of £600 to the winner suffered by a number of non runners for a variety of reasons. This didn't detract from a great final which saw English raider Michelle Donnelly from Workington hold off all challengers to take the tape ahead of Edinburgh veteran Graeme Armstrong and GB under-20 internationalist Praise Olatoke, Kilbarchan who ran from the backmark of 5 metres
There was big fields for nearly all of the other events. The Open 800 metres had a huge field of 19 runners which was great to watch as they streamed aroind the track. Victory for the second time over the weekend went to Sean Bates, Tullibody, who, despite running from a reduced handicap broke clear from the pack in the home straight to fend off Wallace McGown,Sauchie and Matthew, Fleming, Kelso.
There was a tremendous finish to the 200 metres which had the crowd on their feet as backmarkers Douglas Young, Kelso and Praise Olatake eyeballed each other round the track as they reeled in the frontmarkers, as they hit the line it was Young who just edged it from Olatoke with Natasha Turnbull, TLJT in third.
One of the biggest fields of the day was for the 400 metres which was won by John McCallum, Glasgow who powered over the finish line a few metres clear of David Allan, Cyldesdale with former New Year Sprint winner Daniel Paxton Hawick in third,
Both the 1600 metres and 3200 metres races turned out to be exciting contests for the spectators, both were won by quality Englishman Jack Wood, Ilkley Harriers who recently ran 3rd in the Snowdonia Ultra Marathon. Running from the 140 metres mark he reeled in his rivals before taking the lead on the final bend to come home ahead of John Thomson, Glenrothes[245M] and Ron Loewen, Canada [75m] the latter running another great race from the backmark. The 3200 metres saw Wood penalised for his win and he started beside Loewen on 110 metres. Just ahead of them on 150m was Chris Smithard, Central AC who won the race 2 years ago. It turned out to be one of the best two mile s races for a long time as the trio jousted over the latter stages of the race. There was never more than a few metres between the Canadian and the Englishman for the entire race and it was the latter who held his form all the way to the line to take the cheers from the crowd, Loewen followed closely in second with Smithard in third.
The Bridge of Allan initiative of having two age groups for the youth athletes is a good one it sees no fewer than 48 prizes being given out to the young athletes. , .There was Borders success in the 200 metres youth races with Aaron Glendinning,Leithenburn the victor in the younger age group and Tommy Beck TLJT the victor in the older. The 9-12 90m saw Lucy Denholm, Clydesdale follow up her St Andrews win from the previous week. The 13-15 race over the same distance was won bt Stefan Nightingale. Leithenburn. The latter also won the 400 metres with Emily Brown, Clydesdale the victor in the 9-12 years race. Aaron Glendinning landed his second win of the day in the 800 metres while in the older category Anna Palmer from Kent was the third English winner of the day on the track.
14 bikers contested the four cycle races on the card and there was four different winners. Edward Fletcher, Grantown on Spey took the opening 800 metres, Craig Hamilton ,Edinburgh the 1600 metres. Frenchman Cedric Sachet was the victor in the 3200 metres with Charles Fletcher, Grantown on Spey who is Scpottish champion over five distances taking the Deil Tak the Hindmost.
There was good entries for the jumps competitions, Praise Olatoke,Kilbarchan took the Long Jump by one inch from Euan Urquhart, Glasgow the latter was again runner up in the triple jump behind winner Aiden Quinn, Glasgow.
The games featured the British Heavy event championship results to follow.
Published: 2019-08-04 22:18:43
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