With qualification for the final of the new Youth Development League Upper age group already secured in the first 3 matches the aim of the team travelling to Preston was to win the match and win Division 1 of the Northern Premier League and this was achieved after a nail biting finish in which only 8 and a ½ points separated us from a strong Team Glasgow on the day.  Competing under the banner of Team Edinburgh this league provides competition to U17 and U20 athletes from Lasswade, Corstorphine and Edinburgh Athletic Club. The top 2 teams from each of the Northern, Midland and Southern leagues qualify to compete in the Final at Birmingham on Sunday 8^th September. There were many fine performances and full results can be seen here.

Brigidhe Chaimbeul

Rachel Robertson

In the sprints there were outstanding victories in both the 100 and 200 from Kathryn Christie, while in the u17 event there was a fine win for Brigdhe Chaimbeul  in a new personal best of 12.8.  Kathryn was well backed

up in the B events by Rachel Robertson, who ran strongly in the 200 to add to the excellent 2^nd places she gained in the long and triple jumps and by Charlotte Robison, who finished 2^nd in a PB of 12.8 to add to her excellent victory in the 80m hurdles in a PB time of  11.7 and her win in the B long jump in 5.14

Hannah Lawler was a clear winner of the U20 pole vault  clearing 3.20, while  Kimberley Reed demonstrated that she is coming into form, easily winning the hammer with a fine throw of 53.87 and matching that in the discus with a season’s best of 35.03.  Kelly Bodley won the B event with a throw of 36.80 while Erin Feeley won the B discus event with a throw of 28.84.

On the track the Edinburgh athletes reigned supreme with fine wins from Hannah Cameron in a time of 58.5 in the A  400 and a win from the outside lane by Sophie Elder in the B event in a time of 60.8.   There were fine 2^nd places from Rosie Wilson, who had already recorded a PB in winning the 400 hurdles in 66.9  and Katie Watson in the 800s in times of 2.18.8 and 2.26.3 and the 1500 metre girls went one better with an excellent 2^nd place from Phoebe Crosthwaite in a time of 4.52.1 and an easy  win in the B event by Ali Hunter in 5.06.3.  Not to be outdone the 3000 metre girls were in top form with a spirited 2^nd place in 10.45.6 from Rachel Dunn and a win in the B event  for Amy Franklin in 11.03.9.

Ellie McGinty proved her versatility in the U17 events, winning the high jump with a clearance of 1.55 and  gaining 2^nd place in the javelin with a throw of 28.87 while  Kirsty Naismith finished 2^nd in the U17 1500 steeplechase.

Our relay teams picked up excellent points with the U17 girls team of Rosie Wilson, Charlotte Lazarowicz, Erin Boddie and Hannah Cameron recording an easy win the  4×300 relay and the U20 team of Katie Watson, Hannah Addison, Phoebe Crosthwaite and Sophie Elder finishing  2^nd in the 4×400 event and the team of Charlotte Lazarowicz, Kathryn Christie, Rachel Robertson and Yasmin Milne also gaining  2^nd place in the 4×100 relay.

Although finishing out of the top 2 there was a personal best for Kerry Anne Hastings, who recorded 9.27 in the triple jump.

Morro Bajo

In the boys’ team Morro Bajo led the way in the sprints, winning the U20 100m and 2nd in the 200m both in season’s best times of 10.8 and 21.8 while Kieran Kivlin returned from injury to take 2nd in the

Charlie Carstairs

B 100m. Morro also had a storming last leg of the U17 4 x100m to take victory on the line in 44.3 – others in the team were Sandy Wilson, Silvano Marcantonio and Jake Roulstone. Charlie Carstairs set a new pb of 22.9 taking 3rd place in the U20 B 200m after coming in 3rd in the A U20 400m. In the hurdles Seumas Thomson came out “retirement” to take 2nd place in both the 110m and 400m Hurdles while Andrew More set a new pb of 20.5 in the 110m Hurdles.

There was some excellent running from our middle distance runners with personal bests from Cameron Gilmour (1st U17 800m 2.01.7), Robert Bough (2nd U20 1500m 4.06.3), Josh Kerr (1st U17 1500m 4.05.1), Ruaridh Miller (3rd U20 3000m 9.17.3 and 3rd 2000 S/C 6.30.8), Dominic O’Hare (3rd U17 3000m 9.29.4)and Michael Cameron (1st B U20 2000 S/C

Josh Kerr

6.35.5). In addition Rowan Marr won the B U20 1500m on his debut for Team Edinburgh and Ciaran Turton recorded a season’s best in the U20 800m as did Peter Cameron in the 3000m.

Our field event competitors also had a good day. In the High Jump Robert Ferguson was 2nd in the A U20 event with a clearance of 1.95m while Jordan Charters won the B event with 1.70. Robert then went on to throw the discus while Jordan also took part in the long jump, triple jump and 4 x 100m relay. Ben Mitchell won the U17 high jump equalling his pb with a height of 1.80 – this was only about an hour or so after taking 3rd place in the U17 400m Hurdles. Jake Kerr had a busy day taking part in all four throws including 1st place in the U20 javelin with a throw of 39.55 and 2nd in the discus with38.90. In the U17 javelin Guy Wardrop was 2nd with a pb distance of 44.01. Jack Mitchell had an excellent throw of 42.16 to take 2nd place in the U17 hammer.

Overall it was a great team effort from what was probably our largest team this year.

Huge congratulations are due to all the athletes, who have represented Team Edinburgh in the first year of this new league and it is thanks to you all that we are now going on to  the Final in Birmingham as winners of the Northern Premier League so mark the date in your diary  – Sunday 8^th September.  A special thanks is also is due to the officials and coaches, who give up so much of their time to support this league.

Moira Maguire / Keith Ridley

Photographs Courtesy of  Mick Mitchell

More Preston YDL  Photographs can be found  >>> HERE