GLASGOW 2014
The games might have been in Glasgow but our Edinburgh athletes have done us proud!!!
I am sure that everyone in Edinburgh Athletic Club will wish to join me in offering our warmest  congratulations to our 9 athletes, who represented Team Scotland at Glasgow 2014 with such distinction.

Pride of place must go to Lynsey Sharp with her superb Silver medal in the 800 and there was not a dry eye in the house when she stood on the podium to receive her medal.   A member of the club at age 9 she was a multi eventer in her early years and a force to be reckoned with over the hurdles!!  We wish her all the best in the forthcoming European Championships, where she will defend her title.

In finishing 6^th Chris O’Hare  produced the best performance by a Scot in the 1500 metres final since the 4^th place of Graham Williamson in 1982 and he was the top Briton in the race.  The Hampden roar followed him round the stadium and  in characteristic fashion he gave it everything he had.  While disappointment was his initial reaction 6^th place in a truly world class field was outstanding.   We wish him further success in the European Championships.

A 6^th place in the final of the Hammer for our UK women’s team captain Susan McKelvie, who combines a full time job as a teacher with her athletics, was a superb achievement and one that she can look back on with great pride.

Kirsty Yates rose magnificently to the occasion and made the most of her chance on the big stage.  She added 33cm to her PB with her first round effort of 16.42 and finished in an excellent 8^th place.

There was heart break for Emily Dudgeon, who finished in 4^th position  in the  second 800 semi- final and missed out on a fastest loser’s place by 0.17.  The slowest on paper going in to the race she performed “out of her skin” and while she was understandably  frustrated at being so close to a final place she can take enormous pride from her Commonwealth Games debut.

Jayne Nisbet had a “dream” qualifying with first time clearances to 1.85, a season’s best and  only 2 cms short of her PB to qualify for the final.  It was  a superb performance, which had the Hampden crowd on their feet!!   Unfortunately she was unable to match this in the final and was bitterly disappointed.  In time she will reflect that finishing in 10^th position in a Games, where her paper ranking on season’s bests was 12^th, is something to take away from her first Commonwealth Games.

Emma Nuttall was desperately unlucky to miss out on a final place.  Looking good over 1.71 and 1.76 she cleared 1.81 on her second attempt and had 3 close failures at 1.85.  However her failure at 1.81 was enough to cost her a place in the final. Although her initial reaction was desperate disappointment  her  performance surpassed the height required for selection for Team Scotland and she more than justified her selection as part of the most successful Scottish team ever to compete in a Commonwealth Games .

In a similar position was Sarah Warnock, who finished in 15^th place with a distance of 6.22, missing out on a final place by just 7 cms.  With 2 no jumps and only 1 jump left her 6.22 was a “pressure” jump of which she should be very proud and like Emma she more than justified her selection, by surpassing the distance required to qualify for the team.

Jake Wightman, only 1 year out of the junior ranks, was hampered by an injury and was unable to give of his best as things wound up in a ferocious first heat.  However the experience he has gained from Glasgow 2014 will remain firmly implanted in his memory for years to come.

Our representatives have been excellent ambassadors for Scotland and Edinburgh, inspirational as they graced the Hampden track and we thank you for the privilege of being able to share in your journeys to Hampden.

There are 3 other athletes who also deserve our praise
Freya Murray Ross, who had to withdraw from the team due to injury after her initial selection gave hints of a future “media” career with some excellent radio commentary on the women’s marathon.

Louise Haston,  co –rider for Aileen McGlynn in the Women’s Para- Sport Sprint B Tandem event  won Scotland’s first medal of the games – a silver.  Later in the cycling programme they won a second silver in the Women’s Sprint B” tandem final.
Louise was for many years a stalwart of the track and field team.  A multi – eventer as a young athlete, she was also a talented  pole vaulter and triple jumper.  She switched to cycling in 2009 through the gold4glasgow programme and huge congratulations to her.

Kimberley Reed who had thrown the required distances in the hammer to qualify for the games but due to the high standard of the hammer throwers was not selected, however Kimberley was select to the British team for the Junior World Championships in Oregon where she was close to her best with a throw of 60.17m.
Moira Maguire
Club President