Club News
February 25 US beckons as Lewis gets San Fran call-up
Motherwell AC sprinter Lewis Gibb is US-bound after being chosen as part of the Lanarkshire team to compete in this year's International Children's Games.
The 42nd ICG will be held in San Francisco July 10-15 and will involve more than 1,000 athletes from 50 countries.
Lewis, 14, is entered in the 100m event and is one of only four young athletes who will make up "Team Lanarkshire".
He has won his place through his performances on the track, the most recent of which was a new 60m PB of 7.38s at the England u15 Indoor Championships in Birmingham on Saturday. His 100m PB is 12.1s, set in Dumfries in April 2007.
Confirmation of his selection came in a letter sent to his dad Robert which was waiting for them when they returned, happy with the day's results, late on Saturday night from Birmingham.
Robert said: "Even better news was the letter lying here for him when we got home, congratulating him for being selected to represent Team Lanarkshire in San Francisco this summer.
"He's certainly earned it with the hard work he and his coach Bob McCrum have put in over the winter season."
Jim Goldie, South Lanarkshire's athletics development officer, who is involved with the team and its preparations, said: "I believe with the support of the club we can help Lewis reach new heights in his athletics career."
More soon on Lewis's preparations for his trip to the US.
February 24 Lewis goes forth in medals hunt
Lewis Gibb has gone up against a wider field of competition and come out with flying colours.
Lewis and his dad Robert travelled to Birmingham to take part in the English Age-Group Championships where the young MAC sprinter finished fourth in the 60m final in a time of 7.38s.
That was just 1/100ths of a second off the bronze place and 2/100ths off the silver. The winner ran 7.09s, the second fastest time ever.
In the course of the event, Lewis broke his PB twice - running 7.39s and 7.38s (twice).
The results mean Lewis has finished the season fourth overall in the UK rankings and in the first 15 places in Scotland.
Robert said: "He was up against a top-class field and to come fourth out of over 50 athletes from across the UK was a fantastic achievement especially since he was the smallest in the whole competition and every other runner in the final was 6ft or over!
"His two PBs are the fastest by a Scottish u15 athlete for at least five years as far as I know."
February 24 Heavy going at national cross-country event
Well done to the seven MAC runners who competed in heavy conditions in the Scottish Power National Cross Country Championships at Callendar Park, Falkirk, yesterday.
Mhairi Hendry ran in the u13 girls' 3.2k race, coming 39th out of 121 on a time of 14.10.
Jo Clark flew the flag for the club in the senior women's 8k. She finished 75th out of 157 runners with a time of 34.52.
Five runners took part in the senior men's 12k event: Alan Tait (171/398) 47.21; Brian McLinden (201/398) 48.06; Scott Marriott (303/398) 51.58; Michael Hampson (336/398) 54.13; William Martin (366/398) 57.36.
Full results here.
February 24 MAC parents' meeting called
Parents of young Motherwell AC athletes are being invited to a meeting to discuss their children's development in athletics.
The meeting, arranged by coach Bob McCrum, will cover a range of issues including:
- What we do
- Why we do it
- What we would like to do
- What MAC is looking for from you as a parent
The meeting takes place between 6.30pm and 7.15pm in the meeting room at Wishaw Leisure Centre on Wednesday March 5.
If you have any questions, please email Bob or ring him on 01698 252285.
February 17 PBs won in Grangemouth 10k
Nineteen MAC runners took part in the Jim Dingwall Memorial "Round the Houses" 10k today (better known as the Grangemouth 10k) and several scored PBs on the way.
The race over a flat course in cold, sunny conditions, was the second in this year's Road Runners' Championship and the tables will be updated shortly to reflect the results.
One Motherwell runner, Jessie Miller, was among the prizes after coming in first female over-45 veteran.
Go here to see a satellite map of the course.
A good number of the club's young athletes turned out in the 2k race, with David McIsaac doing well again and coming in in the top 10.
1. Alan Tait 38.48 2. Gerald Hartley 39.29 3. Jessie Miller 39.41 4. Russell McCoull 39.50 PB 5. Michael Hampson 41.57 6. Jim Riley 42.59 7. Carole Munro 43.15 8. Robert Owen 44.01 9. Andrew Baillie 44.56 10. Graeme St John 45.59 |
11. Clare Barr 46.44 12. Alex Barr 46.46 13. Elaine Jamieson 46.55 14. Mark Coyle 48.38 15. Mae McIsaac 49.44 16. Jill Strachan 50.10 17. Phyllis Hands 51.00 18. Margaret Lawrence 51.13 PB 19. Lesley Ross 51.23 PB |
February 10 Gold strike as MAC athletes move up rankings
Mhairi Hendry struck gold again in the u13 800m event, this time at the Bank of Scotland Championships, building on her win at the West Districts last month.
The victory, with a heat time of 2.33.87, means Mhairi (pictured on the podium) is now ranked number one in Scotland and fifth in the UK in her age group event in the Power of 10 tables.
Lewis Gibb secured gold in the u15 60m and surprised everyone by taking silver in the u15 200m, breaking his PB twice on the way by running 24.28 in his heat and 24.19 in the final.
Lewis is now ranked first in Scotland for his age group 60m and 200m and has moved to fourth overall in the UK. Significantly, he is now under the Power of 10 "100" standard of 24.20 for the latter event.
There were PBs for Ilona Clark, who was fifth in the u15 800m final and a heat time of 2.28.97 and Chris Watson in the u15 1500m, where he was ninth with a time of 5.02.08.
Sara MacDonald was fourth in her u13 200m heat on 33.49s and fifth in the 60m on 9.71s.
On Sunday, Billy Clarkson competed in the u17 800m event, coming fifth in his heat on 2.27.98.
February 7 Lewis second in class at schools' championships
Lewis Gibb continues to notch up the achievements - this time winning silver in the Scottish Schools' under-16 60m event and coming only 4/100ths of a second behind the winner.
He scorched a trail through the competition by winning his heat in 7.49 secs and his semi-final in 7.40secs before running 7.41 secs in the final.
The semi-final time was a new PB which puts him second overall in the UK under-15 rankings.
Lewis, pictured in November with Allan Wells, is now also the proud owner of the 10 fastest times in Scotland for his age group. No other runner has gone under 7.60 secs.
His performance comes just a couple of days after he was included again in the shortlist for Hamilton Sports Council's "Sports Performer of The Year" awards to be made on March 20.
February 5 ATHelite 5k official results published
The full results from Sunday's ATHelite 5k are now available here.
There was a real tussle for the honour of the first MAC woman home between Jessie Miller, who was second woman overall on 22.12 and Jo Clark, who was one second behind her.
The club's first runner home was Alan Tait, who was seventh overall on 20.01.
February 4 MAC team makes its mark on Kelvin Hall
Kelvin Hall is becoming a happy hunting ground for young MAC athletes with another clutch of PBs and firsts at the Scottish Athletics Indoor League (Match 3) yesterday.
Jill Cherry came first in her u11 girls' 600m with a PB of 2min 1sec. Lewis Donnelly came in first on 2min 6secs (PB) in the u11 boys' 600m.
Mhairi Hendry was first in the u13 girls' 800m and Lewis Gibb was first in the u15 boys' 60m with a PB of 7.47secs.
Ilona Clark was first in the u15 girls' 800m and Chris McCrum was first in the u20 60m.
Other PBs - Chris Watson, u15 800m, 2mins 29.5secs; Jamie Hendry, u15 400m, 1min 2.5secs; Billy Clarkson, u17 400m, 1min 2secs; Scott Dickson, u17 800m, 2mins 25.2secs.
Several of the club's athletes are faring well in the Power of 10 rankings where performances across the UK are compared to each other.
Click on an athlete's name then under Performance Rankings on their individual page, click on the 2008 to see the current ranking.
For example, Lewis Gibb is number one in Scotland in his u15 boys' 60m age group and is fifth in the UK (Power of 10 doesn't reflect yesterday's event yet); Mhairi Hendry is ranked second in Scotland and seventh in the UK in the u13 girls' 800m.
February 3 Mud, glorious mud in first championship race
A great crowd of MAC athletes turned out for the first championship event of the year, the ATHelite 5k at Chatelherault.
The trail course was very heavy underfoot after the recent torrential rain but despite that there were some excellent times.
Full results will be posted on the site as soon as they're collated.
The club had a good showing in the 1k children's race, with David McIsaac winning and a host of other MAC vests securing top 10 places.
The RRs' Championship tables will be updated as soon as possible after every points-scoring event.
You can see a satellite image of the course here.