ATHLETES from Pitreavie AAC have been playing their part in helping Kingdom Athletic make a strong start to a UK-wide competition.

Following two years of lockdowns and restrictions, a full athletics season is under way and the composite team have returned to action in the National Upper Youth Development League, North-East Premier Division.

The first two matches have taken place, in Sheffield and York, and the Fife track and field athletes are in second place overall after both.

The opener, held in April, saw star performances from Harris Mackie, who took victory in both the under-17 100 metres (11.55 seconds) and the 200m (23.34), before anchoring the under-20 4x100m relay team to victory in 45.58, and the under-17 4x400m team to third place in a time of 3:34.78.

Rory Voss also had a strong day, winning the under-20 200m (23.44), and finishing second in the 100m (11.53), and in the long jump (5.98 metres), while Rebecca Grieve claimed a 400m victory by a four-second margin with a time of 56.55.

Dani Mauchlen was second in the discus 'B' string (10.59m), fourth in the 100m (13.85) and anchored the 4x100m team to second in 54.60, as well as showing outstanding team spirit to complete the 800m in the knowledge it would give the team a 'B'-string win.

Anastasia Cotorobai, who led the 4x100m team, won the under-17 300m 'B' string (45.15); came fourth in the 80m hurdles (17.32); and ran the second leg of a dominant under-17 4x300m quartet that won in 3:02.48.

Lily Simon was part of that team and enjoyed impressive individual performances, which included a time of 49.53 in her first-ever 300m hurdles; and placing fourth in the 300m (44.28) and 200m (28.59).

Caleb McLeod and Evan Wilson made it a double win over the 400m for the under-17s, taking the 'A' and 'B' strings respectively in 52.47 and 55.10, before they teamed up again in the javelin, with Evan placing third in the 'A' string (15.22m), and Caleb winning the 'B' string (14.05m).

Evan also finished fourth in the 800m (2:28.04).

In his first-ever 100m hurdles, Rory Balfour placed third in 18.34, having also record two PBs in the long jump (third, 5.13m), and the high jump 'B' string (second, 1.50m).

Team manager Paul Allan, who is president at Pitreavie, hailed the athletes for their performances and togetherness, which continued into the second match on May 29.

Personal bests were the order of the day for a number of competitors, including Logan Fearn, who did so in the under-20 100m (11.34) and 200m (22.94).

Harris Mackie, complete with a second place in the under-17 200m, set a new PB of 22.60 – having earlier finished second in the 100m (11.22) – while debutant David Savage produced a best of 13.13 in the under-17 100m 'B' string.

Maria Gourley, another debutant, collected under-17 100m (15.90) and 200m (33.12) PBs, as did Rory Balfour (under-17 100m hurdles, 17.35); Jennifer Allan (under-10 100m hurdles, 21.06); Holly Gordon (under-17 80m hurdles, 14.42); and debutant Arianne Baillie (300m hurdles, 48.91, and 1500m, 5:24.55).

In the field, Dani Mauchlen threw a PB of 11.56m to win the under-20 'B'-string discus, and a 10.51m distance to place third in the javelin; Jennifer Allan (12.48m) saw her best place fourth in the under-20 'A'-string javelin; Caleb McLeod threw a PB of 20.87m in the under-17 discus, as did Maria Gourley (10.34); Rory Balfour set a new best of 5.31m to finish second in the under-17 long jump, while equalling his high jump best of 1.50m in the 'B' string; and David Savage took second in the under-17 'B'-string long jump with a PB of 3.73m.

Other excellent performances saw Caleb McLeod win the under-17 400m (53.63) and 800m (2:06.03); Ben Knowles finish first in the under-20 400m 'B' string (51.03); Cameron Johnston finish second in the under-17 800m 'B' string (2:25.16), and 1500m 'A' string (4:53.58); Katie Thomson place fourth in the under-17 300m (45.25); Dani Mauchlen finish fourth in the under-20 100m (13.01), and 200m (27.31); and the under-20 men's relay teams win their races.

The 4x100m relay team, featuring Ben Knowles, Logan Fearn and Harris Mackie, won in 44.82, while the 4x400 team, including Knowles, were successful in 3:30.22.

The under-17 4x400m quartet, featuring Caleb McLeod, Cameron Johnston and Harris Mackie, also won their race (3:43.13), leaving Kingdom second overall at the finish with 467 points, behind City of York (631).

Allan concluded: "It was a great battling performance by the whole team and some outstanding individual performances ensured the team stayed on track to qualify for the regional final."