Published: Thursday, 7th August, 2008 08:25
Dunfermline to host Scottish Athletics Championships
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UP FOR IT: Eilidh Child hurdles jogscotland mascot JogScotty
DUNFERMLINE is to host the Scottish National Athletics Championships next month.
The Stewarts Scottish National Championships and Stewarts Youth Festival will take place at Pitreavie Stadium for the first time on 30th - 31st August with a total prize purse of nearly £8000 on offer for successful athletes.
The event was launched recently by Pitreavie’s Scottish 400 metres hurdles champion Eilidh Child, who was a bronze medalist in the recent Aviva UK Championships and Olympic trials.
Child said, “In an Olympic summer it’s important that we have a high standard of domestic competition to aim for, and to capitalise on the post-Olympic euphoria. Not only will Scotland’s top athletes be battling it out, but with the competition open to the other home countries’ senior and junior athletes, there will be real strength and depth.”
Part of that strength in depth will be provided by former European Championships double gold medallist Iwan Thomas MBE, the current UK 400m record holder, who has confirmed he’ll be running in the 200m and 400m.
The Welsh athlete, who competed at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, won Commonwealth gold in 1998 and also used to be ranked fourth in Europe in BMX bike riding.
He said, “Scotland’s Kris Robertson edged me out in last week’s British League match so I would like to end my season with a re-match and hopefully we can push each other to below 47 seconds – but I want to win the title.”
A record total prize purse of £7480 is on offer, with prizes for first, second and third placed finalist in every event. £120 to the winner, £50 for second and £25 for third.
Councillor Brian Goodall, chair of Fife Council’s housing & communities committee, said, “As well as the National Championships themselves, the Stewarts Youth Festival will provide us with a great opportunity to work with a number of local partners to introduce more young people in Fife to athletics and to encourage them to stay involved with the sport in the longer term.
“It’s also good news that we can bring a national event of this calibre to Fife and we’ll be working hard to ensure that this is just the first of many, particularly now, thanks to a £2.5 million investment from the Council and sportscotland, that we have a world class training and competition facility here in Dunfermline.”
Terry O’Hare, managing director, Stewarts, said, “We are delighted to sponsor the Stewarts Scottish National Championships and Stewarts Youth Festival 2008. We hope that our investment will further develop our young and elite Scottish athletes, whilst providing recognition for their dedication and talent. Coaches’ input is also recognised and rewarded this year with £25 for every scottishathletics member coach with a first-placed athlete.”
The entry closing date for the championships is Wednesday 6th August. Downloadable forms are available but you can enter cheaper online through the scottishathletics website at www.scottishathletics.org.uk.
The event will be supported by the Stewarts Youth Festival from 10.30am - 12.30pm on Sunday 31st August which will include ‘Come and Try’ activities, a ‘Family Mile’ and a ‘Fife’s Fastest Kid’ challenge, in addition to face painters and a bouncy castle.
Hosting the championships at Pitreavie ensure athletes and coaches will have access to the most modern indoor training facility in Scotland for final preparation.
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