IT WAS A CLEAN SWEEP FOR GLASGOW UNIVERSITY at the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena on Saturday 5th Feb as they were crowned overall champions on their home track.
Glasgow could hardly contain their delight as they won a treble of trophies including the Spencer French Trophy (Inter-Area), the Appleton Trophy (Edinburgh V Glasgow) and the Iain Cosgrove Championship to go along with their medal haul.
All three trophies were won after a determined display by the student athletes, competing against rivals from Dundee, Edinburgh and Stirling Universities. They triumphed in a wide range of track and field events including 60m, 200m, Shot Put, High Jump, Pole Vault and the Long Jump.
Track and Field Athletics amongst the Scottish Universities is designed to be a friendly, competitive programme, with a mix of exceptionally talented student athletes competing along with those new to the sport. The Glasgow University Athletic Club provide their team with excellent access to coaching and training facilities, and their hard work in training paid off as they romped to victory at the Kelvin Hall.
Club Captains Colin Severin and Iona Campbell were delighted at winning the trophies and medals, and noted some exceptional performances. Colin stated: “I’m very pleased with the overall performances and results of evryone today, but some athletes deserve extra praise for their efforts including Cameron Clark who won the Men’s 60m final and Andrew Kerr, who although 2nd in the Men’s 400m final, achieved a personal best of 51.19, which is a fantastic improvement”. For the female athletes Iona commended the performances of Jo Patterson and Sarah Smith, who competed in numerous events throughout the day to show their commitment to the club and their hunger to win.
Jo, who we recently featured in the Guardian, competed at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi for her native Northern Ireland. At the Kelvin Hall, representing Glasgow, she won the Women’s 400m Final with a time of 58.38. and the Women’s 4x200m Final. Meanwhile Sarah Smith managed a respectable 2nd place in the Women 60m Final.
Overall it was a fantastic day at the Kelvin Hall for all of those asscociated with the Athletics Club, and many can be proud of their achievements.
