Discus thrower Nick Percy claimed the first Scottish medal of the 2023 UK Champs before an appalling thunder-storm left a cloud over Alisha Rees.
Jemma Reekie was among a string of athletes to progress to finals in an exciting day at the Manchester Regional Arena.
Scots will fight out those finals – and hopefully podium places, too – on Sunday but on Saturday evening there was anxiety for Women’s 100m finalist Rees.
The Men’s 100m final went ahead in the midst of the rain and then the women, after a significant delay, were asked to take to the track.
Alisha as it transpired suffered a painful fall as the Edinburgh AC athlete sought to repeat or better her seventh place in last year’s final.
Late last night, with medical assessments on-going, the word to scottishathletics was that hopefully the year-old’s injuries are not as bad as feared or looked to those watching at home or in the stadium
Nick was second in the discus competition as he lost out by 42 cm to Lawrence Okoye. Nick threw a best of 61.26m.
‘I wanted to try and win my sixth British title but it wasn’t my best series of throws – I don’t think there is one there I am happy with,’ said Nick.
‘I’m on the podium again and I am always proud to do that for Scotland, my club, my coach and my family but this time I have to accept silver.’
Two Scottish athletes will contest the Women’s 400m final on Sunday. Nicole Yeargin and Carys McAulay had to negotiate a tough qualifying system – with only the top two assured of places.
Carys took second in her race in 53.14 and Nicole relied on her 52.09 time in third in her race to safely progress from the non-automatic slots.
In the Women’s 1500m, there was also a strong show by the Scots as Eloise Walker (Edinburgh AC), Laura Muir (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers) and Jenny Selman (Fife AC) made the final.
Neil Gourley will carry Scottish hopes in the men’s 1500m Sunday showdown.
The Men’s 800m heats were stacked. And the qualification system of only two automatic qualifiers to go through ensured some big names would fall.
That’s what happened but Josh Kerr was not among them as he produced a terrific kick over the final 200m to cruise through almost alongside race winner Daniel Rowden.
Guy Learmonth had sought to get in touch with the top two but had to settle for fourth place and…
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