Cambuslang Harriers athletes hit the track, trail and hill for race events

Cambuslang Harriers athletes have taken part in several track, trail, hill and road race events over recent weeks.

At the Livingston Open Meeting, Gavin Smith and Chris McLew filled the first two places in the ‘A’ 1500m, assisted by team-mate Jamie MacKinnon as pace-maker.

Smith took 0.01 of a second off his personal best time in 3.48.01, while McLew clocked 3.55.86.

Under-15 runner Euan Reid (5.24.32) and under-17 Chris Black (4.53.85) at that distance.

Under-11 Ewan Kennedy had a convincing seven-second win in the 600m event, clocking 1.52.20.

At the Calderglen Trail Races, under-9 runner Douglas Gallie took third in the 1k race.

Brooke Walker and Aiden O’Connell gained good experience in the under-12 3k race, while second-placed Sam McCarthy led home Cian Kearney, Alistair McLachlan and Erin Kearney in the under-15 3k.

Finlay Robb (U17) held off more experienced and older rivals to finish first in the 5k, with Rachel Wardrope securing the second under-20 lady position.

In the men’s 10k, runner-up Kieran Cooper split the East Kilbride duo of Daryl Reid and John Fergusson.

Masters Justin Carter, first M45, George Pettit and Richard Cooper, the leading M50, packed well in ninth, 12th and 13th spots, respectively.

Kirsty O’Brien was delighted with her podium third place, and club secretary Dave Thom lifted the M60 prize, ahead of M50 runners Dan O’Connell and Iain Crawford.

Fraser Stewart, a marathon runner who is currently ranked third in Scotland, took part in the gruelling 43k Lairig Ghru event, held between Braemar and Aviemore police stations.

The 2,733 ascent covers a mixture of road, forest tracks and rocky single tracks, but Fraser opened up a four-minute gap by the finish, clocking in at 3.08.47 – an improvement