Ayr Seaforth athletes enjoy highs and lows

Aug 13 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

AYR Seaforth athletes enjoyed a weekend of highs and lows.

The highs came from four young members who helped Scotland finish second in Ireland in the annual Celtic Games against Wales, Athletics Ireland and Ulster.

In the under 16 event, Finlay Rae (age 15) was second in the 1500 metres in 4.11.30 while James Gaffney (age 15) was second in the discus with a personal best 41.96.

In the under 20 contest, Caroline George (age 15) ran a season’s best to finish third in the 100m in 12.25 secs, the same time as the second placed Irish women. Caroline also ran in the 4x100m relay which was second and the 4x300m relay which was third.

Rachel Hunter (age 16) was third in the discus with 32.11 and fourth in the hammer with 44.88.

lFifteen-year-old Andrew Murphy produced five personal bests at Stoke (England) in the UK under 17 combined events/decathlon championships and won a silver medal with a massive 5612 points, only 25 behind the eventual winner.

Andrew`s individual events were: 100m (12.5), long jump (6.07 pb), shot putt (12.82), high jump (1.62), 400m (55.15 pb), 100m hurdles (14.47 pb), discus (31.37), pole vault (3.23), javelin (37.24) and 1500m (4.49.0 pb).

lThe lows came when only ten athletes (senior men/under 20 and under 17 men) finished last in the third match of the Scottish League Division One at Wishaw on Sunday.

With five events not covered due to lack of numbers, this was a very disappointing result and with only one more league match left (August 29 at Grangemouth), Seaforth are facing relegation back to Division Two.

Sunday’s points: Central AC 345 pts (24 match points after three matches), Aberdeen 300 (21), Pitreavie 246 (11), Edinburgh 244 (16), Lasswade 220 (14), Arbroath 218 (12), Shettleston 213 (6), Seaforth136 (4).

Individual results: 100m: 5. Wallace Graham 11.98; ‘B’: 7. Scott Gibson 12.25; 200m: 7. Johnny Thompson 24.24; ‘B’: 7. Scott Gibson 24.66; 400m: 4. Andrew McElwee 51.35 (pb); 800m: 6. Greg Templeton 2-07.57 (pb); 1500m: 7. James Wales 4.21.54; 5000m: 7. Alan Cherry 16.38.20; ‘B’: 6. Mayeul Ducrot 17.37.19; 110m hurdles: 2. Andrew McElwee 17.44 ; 400m hurdles: 2. Andrew McElwee 58.27 (pb); ‘B’: 2. Jonny Thompson 62.73.

Field events: triple jump: 5. Cory O`Hara 11.15; long jump: 7. Lucas Henderson 5.21; high jump: 4. Andrew McElwee 1.75; ‘B’: 2. Jonny Thompson 1.65; javelin: 6. James Wales -30.63’ ‘B’: 6. Jonny Thompson 25.22.

4 x 100m: 6. W. Graham, J. Wales, C. O`Hara, S. Gibson 47.31; 4 x 400m: 6. G Templeton, Kevan Kane, L. Henderson, A. McElwee 3.40.16.

Fixtures: Saturday: Scottish under 15 and under 17 track and field (open) championships at Scotstoun Stadium, including the under 13 superteams with Seaforth girls team entered. Sunday: the Scottish Senior Relay Championships (senior women 4x100m team entered).