KINGDOM ATHLETIC are on the verge of winning promotion to the top division of the UK Youth Development League (Upper Northern).

The team – made up of athletes from Pitreavie AAC, Fife AC and Dundee Hawkhill Harriers – finished second in Sunday’s meeting at Preston.

They now lie second overall on 17 league points after three matches, just one behind leaders Preston Harriers, but, crucially, three points ahead of third-placed Doncaster AC with just one match remaining.

Team manager Paul Allan said, “This was a magnificent effort from the team, especially considering our female middle distance events were decimated due to a clash with the European Hill Racing Championships and most of our athletes running for Scotland instead. To come second and only 20 match points off winning is a fantastic effort by everyone.” Pitreavie athletes contributing to the team’s success included Taylor Roy (above left), who won the under-17 400 metres hurdles in 65.6 seconds in his first attempt at this distance, was second in the 100m hurdles in a personal best of 14.1, and third in the hammer with 8.80 metres.

Corey Smith (above right) made it three wins out of three in the under-17 1500m steeplechase in a personal best of 5:03.40 and he also won the under-20 400m hurdles B race in 75.9.

Aidan Thompson was a triple winner at under-20 level, dominating the 3000m to win in 9:26.00, winning the 2000m steeplechase in 6:50.70 and taking the 400m hurdles in 74.6. Ben Potrykus won the under-20 3000m B race in 9:26.10 and was third in the 1500m in 4:09.00. Stephen Perrie-Clyde won the under-20 200m B race in 23.4 and gained valuable points in the hammer B event, finishing second with 5.14m.

Cameron Sinclair recorded a personal best of 56.1 in the under-17 400m B race for third place, won the long jump with 5.76m and was fourth in the 200m B race in 24.5.

Craig Moriarty won the under-17 pole vault with 3.60m and threw 29.62m in the javelin for third place and 13.64m in the discus for fifth place. William Murray ran a personal best of 11.6 in the under-17 for fourth place, while Tyler White won the under-17 3000m B race in 9:59.60 and came third in the 1500m B race in 4:45.70.

Martin Carr jumped 10.74m for second place in the under-20 triple jump, won the under-17 high jump with 1.65m and took third place in the under-20 long jump with 5.30m.

Roy, Moriarty, Sinclair and Murray then teamed up to storm to victory in the under-17 4x100m in 46.3.

Special mention has to go to Robbie Cuthbert who, while trying to regain fitness, has helped out in the throwing events. He was fourth in the under-20 discus with 17.73m, won the B string javelin with 23.09m, came fifth in the hammer with 8.11m and was sixth in the shot putt with 8.33m. He also won the under-20 2000m steeplechase in 8:42.90.

Kirsten Loudon had a successful day, winning the 100m hurdles in 16.2 and winning the high jump with 1.55m. She was also fifth in the 100m in 13.2. Lexie Cook made her debut in the under-20 400m, recording a time of 63.1, and ran a personal best of 28.4 to finish second in the under-20 200m B string.

Anna Gordon won the under-20 pole vault with 3.40m and Kirsten Cronie won the B event with 3.00m.

Anna then went on to record a best of 12.43 in the discus, threw the javelin 11.37m, triple-jumped 7.73m and long-jumped 3.97m, while Kirsten threw the shot putt 5.70m and the javelin 18.53m.

Rachel Hunter produced another captain’s performance in a range of disciplines. She threw 23.23m for second in the under-20 javelin, was second in the 1500m steeplechase in 6:56.60, won the 100m hurdles B race in 22.6, finished third in the 400m hurdles in 83.7 and threw 6.94m in the hammer.

Leah Davie was a strong performer in the under-17 middle distance events, finishing second in both the 800m in 2:21.90 and the 1500m in 4:54.80. Hannah Gillan ran a personal best over the under-17 300m, finishing third in 47.4. Erin Graham was second in the under-17 80m hurdles B string in 13.7 and was fifth in the under-20 100m in 14.1.

Chloe Davie threw well to take fourth place in the under-17 discus with 22.24m. She also came fifth in the shot putt with 6.99m and was fifth in the under-20 hammer with 6.22m.

In the relays, the under-17 women’s 4x300m quartet, including Pitreavie’s Leah Davie, Hannah Gillan and Lexie Cook, finished second in 3:59.60.

Ruth Harvey came fourth in the under-17 pole vault with 2.10m but ended up in hospital after falling badly and colliding with the pole. Fortunately, results showed only soft tissue damage and no breakages, and everyone at the club wishes her a speedy recovery.