Allan Hamilton is first home in Men’s 60m final at the 4J Senior Champs (photo by Bobby Gavin)
*Please note report subject to changes and is intended to cover some highlights not all gold medal performances.
By Peter Jardine, Head of Communications
The return to the Emirates Arena was eagerly awaited this winter – and the 4J Indoor Season did not disappoint.
A range of Scottish Championship events had to be cancelled last year with the venue closed for significant redevelopment ahead of the Glasgow 2024 World Indoors.
When the arena reopened again this year, hundreds of athletes enjoyed competing again in a world class venue.
Indeed in many ways the Emirates itself has been the star of the past few weeks from the National Open to the first-ever EAP International meet to 4J Age Groups and other championships.
Our 4J Senior and U17 Champs thus brought the curtain down on Sunday with that particular event having been rearranged from late in January.
Scottish titles were eagerly contested and while the later date clearly affected the fields in some events, it was very important to host these championships after the complete cancellation in 2024.
In the Senior Champs, there were medallists in the age bracket from late teens to thirtysomethings. There was also something of an Edinburgh AC theme running through those topping the podium.
Allan Hamilton made a fine comeback to win the Men’s 60m gold for the first time since 2022 – with the 32-year-old taking inspiration from GB’s Andy Robertson winning bronze at the European Indoors at 34.
‘My last individual title was three years so I am really pleased with this comeback,’ he said Allan, who won in 6.79 with his PB at 6.72.
‘I’ve kept myself ticking over to an extent but not training like previously. So I think now there should be more in the tank coming up.
‘The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games are there and maybe it can be fourth time lucky in terms of us having a men’s 4x100m relay team in there. I think we have some depth now int he sprints and there is incentive there for everyone, that is for sure.’
Matthew Tait won the High Jump and another Edinburgh AC athlete, Stephen Mackenzie, leapt to 7.63m to add the Scottish title to the BUCS gold he won earlier in a strong indoor season.
‘I cannot be too unhappy but I guess you always want to have jumped further,’ said the long jumper.
‘It is has been a good indoor season and I am excited to get back outdoors in the summer. I will take a week off now to recover a bit and then we will resume the training.’
Henry Clarkson was yet another Edinburgh AC field gold medallist with his Triple Jump success at 15.37m completing an excellent Indoor Season.
‘I won BUCS and then landed bronze at the British Champs so this is a third championship with podium,’ said Henry.
‘Obviously the Seniors was delayed from the end of January but I think it is important to compete in the Scottish Champs and I’m happy to finish with gold after a really strong indoor season.’
Springburn Harriers athlete Charis Crawford won one of the early events – taking gold in the Women’s Pole Vault with a PB clearance of 3.55m.
‘I am happy with that as I attempted 3.55m when I won the U20 title the week before and didn’t make it then,’ said Charis.
‘So it has been a good couple of weekends at the Emirates. I started the season on a bit of a low but I feel I have turned that around and improving the PB again feels good.’
Dunfermline’s Sophie Thomas was another U20 who savoured the winning feeling – landing both 60m and 200m Senior titles. Murray Fotheringham won the Men’s 200m final in 21.82 with Struan Linton at 21.83.
VP-Glasgow athlete, Jill Cherry, took golds in both the 400m and 800m finals with strong runs.
Scottish Senior Champions
Women’s Long Jump: Lauren Callaghan (Finn Valley) 6.10m
Men’s Long Jump: Stephen Mackenzie (Edinburgh AC) 7.63m
Women’s Pole Vault: Charis Crawford (Springburn Harriers) 3.55m
Men’s Pole Vault: Andrew McFarlane (Edinburgh AC) 4.50m
Women’s Shot: Amy Kennedy (Cumbernauld AAC)15.23
Men’s Shot: Kyle Randalls (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) 15.86m
Men’s 60m: Allan Hamilton (Edinburgh AC) 6.79
Women’s 60m: Sophie Thomas (Dunfermline T and F) 7.57
Men’s 60m Hurdles: Scott Connal (Edinburgh AC) 8.15
Women’s 60m Hurdles: Erin Campbell (Giffnock North) 8.63
Men’s 1500m: Peter Cameron (Edinburgh AC) 3:55.54
Women’s 1500m: Isabel Mansley 4:41.72
Men’s High Jump: Matthew Tait (Edinburgh AC) 2.04m
Women’s High Jump: Katharine Fowler (Aberdeen AAC) 1.70
Women’s 200m: Sophie Thomas (Dunfermline T and F) 24.80
Men’s 200m: Murray Fotheringham (Giffnock North) 21.82
Women’s 400m: Jill Cherry (VP-Glasgow) 54.09
Men’s 400m: Calum McKenzie (Cumbernauld AAC) 47.87
Women’s 800m: Jill Cherry (VP-Glasgow) 2:12.42
Men’s 800m: Joshua Mungin (Kilbarchan AAC) 1:49.96
Women’s Triple Jump: Silver Nwabuzor (Glasgow Uni) 12.47
Men’s Triple Jump: Henry Clarkson (Edinburgh AC) 15.37m
Stephen Mackenzie on his way to Men’s Long Jump gold (photo by Bobby Gavin)
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The big highlight in the Scottish U17 Champs came right at the end of the day – and a sixth race of the day for Emma Clark.
Emma stormed away in the Women’s 200m final with Record-breaking intent and so it proved as her 23.93 run eclipsed her 24.04 mark from January in a superb performance by the Whitemoss AAC athlete.
In the U17 Champs there were Championship Best Performances by Scots via Holly Whittaker in the 60m Hurdles and Kishi Aremu in the 60m. Kishi’s run equalled her Scottish U17 Record from last week!
U17 Scottish Champions
Men’s 60m: Harry McIlwaine 7.08
Men’s Shot: Rhian Mitchell (Kilmarnock Harriers) 13.87m
Women’s Long Jump: Holly Whittaker (Aberdeen AAC) 5.70m
Men’s Long Jump: Angus Weir (Giffnock North) 6.30m
Women’s 60m Hurdles: Holly Whittaker (Aberdeen AAC) 8.51
Men’s 60m Hurdles: Matthew Cox (ayr Seaforth) 8.84
Women’s 60m: Kishi Aremu (Livingston AC) 7.52
Men’s Pole Vault: Donald Ross (Edinburgh AC) 3.09
Women’s Pole Vault: Isla Fitzgerald (Kilmarnock Harriers) 2.14m
Men’s High Jump: Eli Adams (North Shields) 1.92m
Women’s 1500m: Millie Ovens (Pitreavie AAC) 4:52.59
Men’s 1500m: Alistair Street (Kilbarchan AAC) 3:57.20
Women’s 200m: Emma Clark (Whitemoss AAC) 23.93
Men’s 200m: Ben Thompson (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers) 22.51
Women’s 300m: Cara Monachello (Kilmarnock Harriers) 39.87
Men’s 400m: Riley Gardiner (Dunfermline T and F) 51.96
Women’s 800m: Nieve Hannell (Pitreavie AAC) 2:16.78
Men’s 800m: Magnus Riddell (Tynedale) 1:54.23
Men’s Triple Jump: Ben Cunningham (Gateshead) 14.86
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