Law and District AAC shot putter Jade Gray in medal winning form

Gray, now ranked second under-17 in Scotland and fifth under-17 on the Scottish all time list, was fourth at the English Indoor Championships in Sheffield at the weekend thanks to a fine throw of 12.46m.

This came following her bronze medal-winning exploits in the Scottish Schools Indoor Championships over-16 shot putt at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena, where she threw 12.96m.

The previous weekend, Gray had produced an impressive throw of 13.37m – nearly a metre over her previous personal best – with a 3kg shot putt at the National Age Group Championships.

Law and District AAC secretary Lesley McNicol told the Carluke and Lanark Gazette: “Jade does practice an awful lot and she’s been progressing really well over the winter.

"She did an event in January where she threw the shot putt half a metre over her PB. Then the next one she went to shew threw a metre over it.

"So her mum was saying it was a metre and a half she improved within a month.

"It’s definitely a fantastic achievement. Jade’s dad Colin is a throws coach as well so obviously he can help her – with Don McLeod – which is really good.”

Gray’s productive recent run also saw her land a 4 x 200m under-17 women gold with Law team-mates Ruth Hynd, Emma Gilchrist and Susannah Kay at the national finals in the Emirates Arena on Sunday.

Among other Law squads, under-13 girls Eilidh Cameron, Isla Cameron, Lily McManus and Sophie Todd took bronzes, while silvers went to under-15 girls Laura Watson, Lauren McNair, Neve Murray, Lucia McKenna and Tehillah Okonkwo and under-15 boys Jak Weir, John Frood, Calum Hall, Owen Murphy landed silvers.

Under-13 boys Luke Evans, Jack Duffin, Blair Beverley, Gabriel Calderwood and Heath Key finished third initially but were disqualified for running out of their lane.

Further medals for Law came at the Scottish Universities Indoor Championships when Leah Keisler won the women’s 400m, James McClafferty took men’s 400m silver and Emily McNicol landed women’s 1500m bronze. James and Emily set club records.