UKWAL Match 2, Manchester, Saturday 3rd July
Another close match in round two of the UK Women’s League at Sport City, Manchester, on Saturday 3rd July, saw Edinburgh AC take 6th place once again.
Boosted by several personal bests and many athletes doubling or even tripling up events, the team held off Shaftesbury to remain in contention for the final match at the end of the month.
Leading the way was Katja Eravisto, who took almost two seconds of her 800m best to come home 2:12.52 to winning the B-string event.
A little later she took to the track once again, this time in the 1500m, clocking 4:41.10 for 3rd place and another lifetime best.

With Laura Dunn taking 3rd in the A events of both the 800m and 3000m, Sarah Hood taking 2nd in the A 1500m and Lauren Stoddart battling to a 3rd place and personal best of 7:21.88 in the 2K steeplechase, the middle distance girls did the team proud.

Catriona Pennet raced to a season’s best of 14.37 for 2nd in the A 100m hurdles, while Emily Dudgeon, making her senior debut, took 5th in the B 200m for a new lifetime best of 27.21. Stacey Downie took 7th in the A race in 25.38 as well as 6th in the A 100m in 12.63.

There was a season’s best for Lynsey Sharp in the B 400m as she powered home to win in 55.74, Kathryn Evans taking 5th in the A race in 55.80.

Avril Jackson had a busy afternoon once again as she clocked a season’s best 62.04 for 4th A,  in her favoured event, the 400m hurdles, before going on to record a new lifetime best of 10.18m in the triple jump (6th B) and 4th B 100m hurdles.

The throws saw several athletes covering multiple events. Susan McKelvie (3rdA hammer, 7th B discus and 7th B javelin) and Hannah Evenden (6th A shot putt, 2nd B hammer and 5th A discus) covered the majority of the throws with Wendy Davidson filling in the B shot putt for 7th B having already taken 3rd B in her main event, the 400m hurdles, in 63.71.

Gillian Cooke filled the remaining throws place with a new lifetime best of 26.74m in the A javelin. The result of the javelin was keenly anticipated due to an enterprising sweepstake being run within the team!

In the jumps Lisa Ferguson, returning from injury, leapt to a season’s best 5.62m for 6th in the A long jump despite coming from a shortened approach. Also off a short run up was Gillian Cooke who made a tentative return to her main event with 5.51m for 3rd B.

Another athlete on the comeback trail was Jayne Nisbet, who collected valuable points in the high and triple jumps, a welcome return to the team.

Once again it was down to the relay teams to ensure the team stayed out of the bottom two places and they did just that. Both the 4x100m and 4x400m teams finishing 4th, enough to hold off Shaftesbury who finished just 5.5 points behind.

(Gill Cooke & Susan McElvie.)