MEMBERS of Pitreavie AAC missed out on qualifying for a national athletics final by just a single point last Sunday.

A number of the club's athletes were competing for Kingdom Athletic in the third match of the Upper Youth Development League Northern Premier Division season at Carlisle's Sheepmount Stadium.

With the top two qualifying for the national final, Kingdom went into the event level on points – and as joint leaders – with Edinburgh and Glasgow, with Forth Valley, Sale Harriers Manchester and Liverpool Harriers also competing.

Despite Pitreavie athletes storming to 19 victories, with a number of other outstanding performances, Kingdom missed out on qualification by the narrowest of fashions as Glasgow pipped them to second spot, with Edinburgh topping the table.

Despite that, Kingdom team manager Paul Allan said: "This team has been fantastic all season, and to push our much larger rivals this close is huge for the sport in the area as we can continue to grow from this."

There were no fewer than five Pitreavie athletes who enjoyed double victories, with Sarah Coutts leading the way in the under-17 women's 800 metres (2:18.99) and the 1500m (4:43.38).

Craig Moriarty, competing in the under-20 age group, won the men's B-string 400m (51.09) and pole vault (3.45m), while Cameron Keelan took the under-17 men's B-string triple jump (9.98m).

He then went on to run in his first 400m hurdles and took victory in the A race with a time of 58.46, which also moved him top of the Scottish rankings.

Ciara Bowman took top spot in the under-20 women's B triple jump (8.41m) and javelin (23.00m), while Sarah Duff won the under-17 women's A 100m (12.59) and the B long jump (4.43m).

In his first hurdles event of the season after injury, Taylor Roy moved top of the Scottish rankings by winning the under-20 men's 100m hurdles in a time of 15.14, while Dylan Thomson continued his fine season with a dominant performance in the pole vault, winning the under-20 men's A-string event with a distance of 4.30m.

Debutant Sean Stewart, who ran the under-17 100m B race as a guest in 11.31 to move third in the rankings, won the 200m in 22.96 while another, Isla Steel, won the under-17 women's 80m hurdles in 12.14.

Ailsa Barr took the under-17 women's 1500m B-string title in 5:28.61; Jennifer Brydon claimed the 300m hurdles B-string crown in 51.60; the under-20 men's 4x400m relay squad, including Craig Moriarty, won their race in 3:23.28; Ben Knowles and Cameron Keelan made up half of the under-17 4x400m team that were first in 3:32.54; and Sarah Duff and Ailsa Marsh helped the under-17 women's 4x100m quartet to victory in 50.72.

Other podium performances included those of men's under-20 athletes Alistair Moriarty and Alex Johnston, who each took second spot in the B 200m (23.55) and 1500m (4:19.36) respectively, and Ryan Woods, who was third in the high jump after a fantastic leap of 1.93m.

There was a new PB for Aimee Paul, making her team debut, as she finished third in the under-20 women's 100m, while Rachel Thomson also finished third in the 100m hurdles in 17.27, as well as second in the B-string discus with a throw of 17.26m.

Ciara Bowman made the final podium place in the 1500m steeplechase (5:50.36) as Cameron Keelan claimed second in the under-17 men's 100m hurdles (14.50), while Ben Knowles was second in the under-17 men's B-string long jump (5.40m) and third in the high jump (1.70m).

There were two PBs for Ailsa Marsh, who was second in the under-17 women's 200m (26.15) and third in the 300m (42.79); Lauren Blair was second in the B 800m (2:30.55); Skye Marshall was second in the B 1500m steeplechase (6:32.57), and third in the high jump (1.40m); Sinead Steel was second in the A high jump in 1.55m; and Isla Steel threw 32.75m for second in the under-17 women's javelin.

In the relays, Taylor Roy, Harry Johnston and Alistair and Craig Moriarty were third in the under-20 men's 4x100m (45.12); Sarah Coutts was third in the women's 4x400m in 4:09.05, running a swift 57.8 seconds in the final leg; and the under-17 women's 4x300m quartet, including Ailsa Marsh and Skye Marshall, were second in 2:54.60.