Lothian Running Clubs Sarah Inglis takes fourth place at highly prestigious race

Mar 18 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

LOTHIAN RUNNING Club’s Sarah Inglis is heading for Poland after earning a prized place in the Great Britain team for the World Cross Country Championships.

The prestigious event is taking place in Bydgoszcz, Poland, on Sunday, March 28, and caps another glorious week for Inglis.

Sarah helped seal her spot in the GB squad with a sparkling performance in the McCain UK Cross Challenge final in Birmingham.

The tough event incorporated both the IAAF World Cross Country Trials and UK Inter-Counties Cross Country Championship.

Sarah, a second year PE student at Edinburgh University, was representing the Scotland East District in the Women’s Under-20 race in which all the top-ranked junior cross country athletes in Great Britain formed a high quality line-up.

Underfoot conditions at Cofton Park on Saturday afternoon were ideal, however, although as the large field of 138 runners made its way around the undulating course they had to contend with a strong swirling wind on the hill sections.

Running a perfect race, Sarah was always up with the leading group of eight runners who had broken away from the main bunch.

Lying sixth place behind fellow Scot Beth Potter, from the Victoria Park Glasgow Club, the two of them then tested the resolve of one of the pre-race favourites, Kate Avery, and passed her on the final uphill climb before turning down for the finish.

As the finish line approached, a determined final burst from Sarah saw her out-sprint her Scottish counterpart by a mere second, covering the 6000m course in 21 minutes four seconds, for an excellent fourth place.

Victory went to Emelia Gorecka, Surrey (20:40); in second was Annabel Gummow, of Cornwall (20:53); and in third came Hannah Walker, from Hertfordshire (21:00).

There was also a fine turn out of nine runners from the Lothian Running Club taking part in the races at Gartmorn on Sunday.

With six Seniors in the six-mile race and three juniors in the two mile, there were category wins for both Lynne Murray and Lana Turnbull.

In the six-mile event Lynne was the first Lothian runner back in 23rd place overall and first FSV, in 41mins 17secs.

David Mabon then came home in 31st place and 9th MSV in (42:47).

Jim Alexander was a handful of places further back in 36th in (44:06).

Jill Horsburgh made it a club 1-2 in the FSV class, crossing the line in 40th place (44:39).

Completing the club representation was Alan Robertson in 54th with Carol Mabon 108th.

A total of 132 runners competed.

In the Junior two-mile under-18 race Lana Turnbull, who the previous day had performed well at the Scottish Schools Cross Country Championship at Irvine, turned in another good performance to finish in second place and first female under 18 (13:42).

Brother and sister Alice and Iain Horsburgh also finished well up the field.

Iain was 12th overall and fourth male at under-13 (15:40), with Alice in 14th place and fifth female at under 13 (16:24).