Garscube runner Anya completes Scottish 1-2-3 in Antrim international

Anya finished third in the under-13 race, completing a clean sweep of the top three places for Scottish athletes.

She covered the course in six minutes 23 seconds, just behind winner Anna Hedley of Fife AC and runner-up Valencia Wright, from Lenzie and a member of Victoria Park City of Glasgow AC.

Anya’s success completed an excellent start to 2017 for her in particular and the club in general.

The previous weekend she was among 11 Garscube Harriers members who rubbed shoulders with the likes of Mo Farah and Callum Hawkins when they represented West District at the Scottish Inter-District races at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh.

Anya placed fifth in the under-13 race and was the second counter in the West team to help them secure the team gold medal.

In the same race Garscube’s Grace Maclean was 29th with clubmate Isabelle Burnside just one place behind in 30thin 30th with Anya being the second counter on the team and won secure the West Team’s gold Medal.

Finlay Ross-Davie was seventh in the under-13 boys’ race and third counter for the West Team’s silver medal.

In the under-15 boys Elliot Duff was seventh, Jack Trainer 21st, Murphy Hand 30th and James Connelly in 31st, with Elliot third counter for West’s silver medal.

In the under-17 men event Cody Stevenson was 24th and Lorn Webster 26th while Katie White, the only senior representative from the club, was 14th and helped secure the West team a silver medal.

John Bell, junior coach at Garscube Harriers, is delighted with the achievements of the club’s younger runners.

He said: “Having ten junior athletes representing the district and club was a great day for Garscube and my proudest moment as a coach.

“The results are testament to their hard work and determination.

“We won’t be resting on our laurels though, as the next focus is the National XC next month.”