CELTIC CUP, GRANGEMOUTH STADIUM, FALKIRK, AUGUST 17

Falkirk’s bold effort pays off

The inaugural Celtic Cup was a big success, with a victory for hosts Scotland and wins for guests Darren Campbell and Merlene Ottey

AT a time when athletics is struggling to reinvent itself, one of the most innovative meetings of the year was held at Grangemouth Stadium in Falkirk last week. Instead of meaningless grand prix-style action featuring dozens of African distance runners wearing the same kit, this was a domestic team match with purpose, some unusual events and a smattering of high-profile international guests. Scotland isn’t known as a nation of bravehearts for nothing.

The Celtic Cup also has the ambition to one day surpass some of the grand prix meetings that currently dominate the global athletics’ landscape. “This wasn’t about pace making or statistics,” said meeting director Pierce O’Callaghan. “With two hours on BBC Scotland it was more like a football match in length and it had the simplicity of team scoring, with points – three-two-one – for the winner down to third.” To the delight of the estimated 3000-strong crowd, Scotland won the match with 43 points, to 32 for Ireland and 25 for Wales. Some questioned the need to add a new fixture, complete with a $31,000 budget, to the calendar, but of the 20 Scottish athletes at this year’s Commonwealth Games just one qualified for Melbourne at a meeting in their native country – and this is something Scottish Athletics is keen to change. Certainly, supporters such as the BBC, Falkirk Council, Bank of Scotland and ScottishPower were delighted with the way things went.

With athletes competing in the shadow of the BP oil refinery – Falkirk’s answer to the Olympic flame – events included team horizontal jumps and a ‘High5’ high jump where competitors were only allowed to attempt five pre-agreed heights.

There was also caber tossing, plus pre-meeting activities for youngsters. Strong gusts of wind blew in from the Firth of Forth, with a headwind of minus three metres per second, for example, registered for the opening race - the search to find Falkirk’s fastest kid. But the athletes were lucky the rain held off. Only an hour before the meeting started, nearby Glasgow was hit with heavy rain showers.

Most attention focused on big name guests Merlene Ottey, Darren Campbell, Alan Webb and Tyree Washington. Perhaps the most anticipated event of the night, though, was the women’s 4x1500m.

A number of records were under attack, including the world best of 17:09.75 set by Australia at Battersea Park in 2000 and the European best of 17:19.09 held by Ireland. In stiller conditions the marks were achievable, but the athletes’ efforts against the gusty winds did not go unrewarded.

Ireland won in 17:29.88 with a team consisting of Aoife Byrne, Deidre Byrne, Mary Cullen and Roisin McGettigan - with three of the quartet having competed at the European Championships in Gothenburg.

A Scottish quartet of Freya Murray, Susan Scott, Nicola Gauld and Hayley Ovens finished second in a British record of 17:34.58, beating the previous mark of 17:41.0, which was set by a BMC team containing Jo Pavey in 1997.

In fourth, a BMC junior team of Sarah Hopkinson, Emily Pidgeon, Emma Pallant and Jessica Sparke clocked a world junior record of 18:17.40.

Full article in this week's Athletics Weekly, - available in WH Smith and all good newsagents, or on subscription

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