Atheltics: Craig breaks 800m PB twice in four days

Aug 20 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

LOTHIAN Running Club’s Craig McDowall turned in his best performance of the season on Saturday when he crossed the line in record time to claim a new personal best for the 800 metres.

This was the second time in the space of four days the 17-year-old from Livingston set new figures for the distance.

Last Wednesday evening at the Open Graded Grand Prix meeting at East Kilbride, Craig stopped the watch at one minute 57.48 seconds for what was then a new PB, but he would soon shatter his own time just four days later.

On Saturday the Lothian athlete lopped off just under a second from that time when competing at the British Milers’ GP final in Cardiff.

Running in the 800 metres G race Craig produced arguably the best run of his career as he completed the two laps in one minute 56.50 seconds to finish in sixth place for a new life-time best.

This moved him up to ninth place in the Power 10 Under-20 Scottish rankings.

Lothian Running Club athletes were in action at the 125th Crieff Highland Games at Market Park on Sunday where Olympic gold medalist Allan Wells was Chieftain.

In the Open 90 metres Handicap Darren Thomson and John McStewart finished first and second in their heat which qualified the pair for the semi finals where they both narrowly missed out in advancing to the final.

In the Open 200 metres Handicap, Darren went through to the final as the fastest loser where he finished in the prize money in fourth place.

In the Youth’s 90 metres Handicap Isla Bruce, who was making her games debut, won through to the final where she finished in fourth place.

She was in the prizes again in the Youths’ 200 metres handicap where she and club mate Lauren Arbuckle finished first and second in their heat before going on to be fifth and sixth in the final.

The Youths 800 metres handicap saw Ian Horsburgh turn in a fine performance to finish in second place.

He was followed home by Hannah Stewart in fifth and Lauren Arbuckle just out of the prizes in seventh spot.

The club now has three athletes in the top five in the SHGA points league for youths in events over 400 metres.

Lauren Arbuckle leads on 20 points, Hannah Stewart is joint third on 18 points with Ian Horsburgh next on 17 points.