Fourteen Shetland Amateur Athletics Club athletes travelled down to Aberdeen last weekend to compete in Match 3 of the Youth Development League Challenge competition as part of the Islands Select Team alongside clubs from Orkney and the Western Isles. They took part in track and field events in all age groups from Under-13 to Under-17 to gain points for the team.
The Shetland athletes took part in 23 events across the age groups spread all over the track and field events. There was an impressive haul of personal bests that were registered during the day’s competition, with a couple of the stand out performances being those by Under-17 athlete Judy Hamer who improved on her personal best in the hammer throw by nearly 3 metres to achieve 29.34m, and Under-13 athlete Ruth Anderson who in the javelin improved her personal best by almost 4 metres to achieve 18.66m.
At the end of the day’s match, the U13/U15 team finished in first place out of the eight teams, and the U17 team finished second. Once all the points had been added to those from the first two competitions held earlier in the outdoor season the U13/15 team finished first, and the U17 team third. Whilst there is no final for the U17 Islands Select Team this year, by having won the League’s Lower Age Group the U13/U15 Islands Select Team will, together with Inverness Harriers who finished second in the Scotland North East Division, be invited to compete in the final at Grangemouth to be held the first weekend in August.
The athletes and coaches would like to thank Serco Northlink Ferries, without whose generous sponsorship participation in the league and other mainland competitions would not be possible.
RESULTS
Under-13 boys
Max Smith: 75m hurdles - 16.07s (PB); Javelin - 19.59m (PB)
Archie Irvine: 100m - 13.52s; High Jump - 1.45m
Under-13 girls
Lauren Grains: 75m - 10.84s; 800m - 2:42.50s; Long Jump - 4.38m
Ruth Anderson: Shot Putt - 6.11m; Javelin - 18.66m (PB)
Lucy Thomson: Javelin - 13.89m (PB)
Under-15 boys
Ross Dinwoodie: 75m hurdles - 16.27s; Shot Putt - 7.27m (PB)
James Masson: Hammer - 22.22m; Shot Putt - 9.04m (PB)
Reece Black: 1500m - 04:48.68s
Under-15 girls
Sadie Fox: 100m - 14.22s; 75m hurdles - 13.21s (PB)
Sanna Forsyth: 100m - 14.68s
Under 17 women
Riahnnon Thomason: 100m - 13.72s; 200m - 27.99s
Judy Hamer: 80m hurdles – 17.06s; Hammer - 29.34m (PB)
Stephanie Mercer: Javelin - 30.10m (PB); Discus - 21.25m
Maddie Smith: Long Jump - 4.97m (PB)
