Scottish Athletics Closed Championships, Wishaw - 09&10/05/2009

Emma once again demonstrated her diversity within the endurance discipline of athletics by taking her 6th National medal and second title at the recent Scottish Athletics Closed Championships. Emma along with her sister Oonagh, competing for Edinburgh Athletic Club, made the journey to south to gain experience at national standard competition.

In the Under 15 Girls 1500m, all of the top ranked Scottish athletes were out in force and the competition standard was high with Oonagh having to run close to her personal best in 5.23min to secure a place in the final. Emma ran a comfortable heat in 5.12min to qualify second fastest for the final.

The weather for the heats had been a mixture of cold winds and driving rain but thankfully the conditions dried up as the 12 athletes prepared for the final of the 1500m. Given the expectation of a fast race and the knowledge of a number of 1500m specialists within the final, Emma took the race out hard.

Oonagh on the other hand had decided to go for a more conservative start at the back of the pack. From there she worked her way through the field as other runners began to tire. Her effort in the final was tremendous to watch as she finished in 9th place in a new personal best of 5.20.97min.

Emma on the other hand had pulled a 15 metre lead on the pack after the first 300 metres and relaxed into the middle section of the race. The rest of the pack made their way back towards Emma but she remained in command of the pacing of the race.

As the front pack of three runners hit the final lap, Emma turned on the pace once again and pulled away from the other girls. Within a 50 metre stretch she had open up a gap that the other runners were unable to respond to and she maintained her lead crossing the line as Scottish Athletics Closed 1500m Champion.

In the process she took 5 seconds off her old personal best, finishing in a time of 5.00.11min, ranking her first in Scotland for outdoor times and second for indoor and outdoor combined.

Another athlete who is making their mark at the moment is Matthew Sutherland. Matthew recently won the inaugural Castle of Mey 10k and has gone on to be selected for the Scotland East team for an Interdistrict Hill Race in England on 23rd May.

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