27th August 2009

Falkirk Cup Report

August 27 2009

Aviva GB & NI athletes headed the action at Wednesday’s Falkirk Cup in Grangemouth. The team from England winning on their event debut at Grangemouth Stadium and halting Scotland’s run of victories. It means the trophy heads south of the border for the first time.

Captain Craig Pickering (Marshall Milton Keynes), who was a member of the team at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin was determined to prove a point on his return to the UK. He won the men’s 100m in a new Stadium Record of 10.27s, erasing the previous best set by fellow countryman Darren Campbell in the inaugural Grangemouth meeting back in 2006.

“It was cold and it’s been wet and it’s windy, so to run that time I’m happy,” he said, clocking a mark only marginally outside his season’s best. “Obviously not being in the relay team in Berlin was a massive disappointment and it’s been good to have this race to focus on. I certainly think I should be in the team and that time, a couple of days after getting back with a lot of travel and in these conditions, is pretty good I think. I’m the type of captain that likes to lead by example so I was happy to do that tonight.”

European Under 23 representative Meghan Beesley (Birchfield Harriers) 58.48,  scored maximum points in the women’s 400mH 

In the shot, European under-23 discus champion Eden Francis took maximum points for England with 15.52m. Scotland’s Alison Rodger was second with 14.78m while third place went to Golden League Guest Mhairi Porterfield (13.33m).

Other GB and NI stars in action included:

European Junior championships representative Jenny Tan (Bank of Scotland Development team) finishing third in the 800m in 2:08.31, and in the women’s mile Jo Moultrie (Scotland), who represented GB & NI in this summer’s European Under-20 Championships, was second in 4:45.61 with Junior team mate Beth Potter finishing third for the Bank of Scotland Development team (4:46.90).

The final results in the match competition were:

1. England 127
2. Scotland 118
3. Bank of Scotland Development team 81
4. Ireland 61
5. Ethiopia 35