Harrier’s News
November 16th, 2008Young, older and very much older representatives of Gala Harriers have been taking to the roads and country – and into the history books over the last week.
On Saturday night at the James McLean Trust Celebration of Sports dinner in Kelso’s Cross Keys Hotel, the Sporting Hall of Fame opened its doors to a Gala man who was making his mark in the field of athletics excellence over 100 years ago. James Curran was one of the Harriers’ earliest successful runners when he came out of the army and ran initially for the Gala club before joining the professional circuit, where, just before emigrating in 1910, he won the prestigious Powderhall 300 metres.
Curran was then to become a major force in the world of athletics coaching and he played a significant part in encouraging a young runner called Wyndham Halswelle to join Edinburgh Athletics club after both returned from national service – with Halswelle going on to take a gold medal in the 400 metres in the London Olympics in 1908. Sadly, Curran’s other major coaching successes came not in Scotland but in Mercersburg in the USA where he emigrated in 1910 and was soon to become a very great track and field coach, with Olympic medallists and world record holders to his name.
Curran however never forgot his Scottish roots and wrote an article in the New York press which advised American athletes who run in Madison Square Gardens to try competing in Scotland against 25 Scotsmen on a small track for cash prizes – and only then would they know the meaning of a tough race! His place in the Scottish Borders Sporting Hall of Fame is richly deserved.
In the same awards evening, Gala’s successful young sprinter, long jumper and Ettrick and Lauderdale junior sports personality, Demi Yorke took the Border Telegraph sports personality of the year and a James McLean Sports Scholarship.
Two weekends ago, two Harriers travelled to the Angus Glens to compete in arguably the most scenic half marathon In the UK – in Glen Clova, near Kirriemuir. Neil Aitchison finished the race in an impressive 1 hour 27 minutes and 10 seconds, with Jane Chalmers also recording a great time of I.46.03.
Last Saturday, Harriers headed south to Gateshead for the first round of the McCain UK Athletics Cross challenge, where, on a blustery cool day, Katy Anderson took 32nd place in 32.18 in the senior womens’ race around 7K of undulating grassland. The Under 15 girls race over 4K of one short and two long laps included Alice Haining who finished an excellent 5th in 15.36 against an exceptionally strong field of UK champions. In the same race were twins Hannah and Emily Jones in their first year of competing in this age category and they equipped themselves very well in 18.34 and 19.06, taking 27th and 31st places respectively.
On Sunday, the bright fine conditions saw a record turn out for the first race in the Borders’ Winter cross country series, organised impeccably by the Lauderdale Limpers on their muddy home patch around Lauder. Gala was well represented in this initial race in both the junior and senior categories, with first and second placings in the overall boys and girls’ races by Cammy Fair and Rowan Marr, and Hannah and Emily Jones, with Kerry Sandilands an excellent third. Also running very well after their hard work on cold wet evenings at Tweedbank were Cameron Gowans, Martha Douglas, Clare White, Gillian Sandie, Fraser and Rhona Gowans, Susan Arkley, Jo Marr and Alison Brown.
Full results for these and the 22 seniors are on the Norham Running Club’s website.
Photographs in photo gallery.
The Sporting Week Ahead – the next outing for the Harriers is the East District league at Broxburn on Saturday 22 November, starting at 1pm.
