Major sporting events and their link with the grassroots is a regular topic for discussion – and the Paris 2024 Olympics will be no different.
Arguments no doubt will rage about the ‘legacy’ and the effect of visibility. The ‘see it, to be it‘ model, if you like.
At scottishathletics, we are absolutely certain there is a strong bond between our clubs at grassroots and our elite athletes representing GB and NI at major champs or Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games.
There have been many examples of that in recent days, never mind recent years.
And when you walk through the doors of Grangemouth on the opening morning of the 4J Age Group Champs and the first words you overhear are ‘Eilish McColgan’ and ‘Megan Keith’ then that evidence hardens.
Those feelings were confirmed in three interviews we conducted with young athletes at Grangemouth at the start of a weekend which attracted huge entry numbers.
Mark Pollard, Head of Performance at scottishathletics, has recently returned from Paris (where assisted Team GB) and was at Grangemouth on Saturday.
‘I think if you look at those nine Scottish Olympians over in France then a very high percentage of them were here a number of years ago competing at our Age Group Champs,’ said Mark.
‘This is where the journey started for them picking up medals and enjoying their athletics.
‘So it is good to see athletes at U20, U15 and U13 in action here and taking their early steps on that comeptition pathway.’
Photo by Bobby Gavin
In the U20 Champs, the drama arrived late in the day in the Men’s long jump with a single cm covering the top three – Luc McLeod, Louis White and Matthew Tait.
Mathew had won the High Jump and recorded 6.90 with the other two athletes at 6.91m. Moorfoot athlete Louis leapt to 6.91m twice, however, and took the gold.
At U15 Boys level it was all about lads called Murray. Inverness Harriers athlete Murray Taylor won two gold and three were headed to Pitreavie AAC with Murray Robb peerless in the throws.
In the U15 Girls there were doubles for Cara Monachello, Sophie Robertson and Leanna Elliott with the latter two both from Cumbernauld AAC.
U15 Champions
U15G 100m: Cara Monachello (Kilmarnock Harriers) 12.19 (5.1)
U15G 75m Hurdles: Cara Monachello (Kilmarnock…
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