Falkirk Victoria Harriers

F.V.H started the new track season in the best possible way by taking an excellent second place in the opening match of the Central and South of Scotland Athletics Division 2 at Scotstoun in Glasgow.

All the Falkirk athletes were in splendid form with many setting new personal bests in events despite the wet conditions.  There were notable double wins by several Falkirk athletes –

Joanne Miller ( Under-13 100m and High Jump)

Moira Davie ( Under-5 800m and Long Jump)

Lewis Lockrie (Under-11 80 m and Long Jump)

Kenneth Robertson ( Under-15 Shot Putt and Javelin)

Alastair Boyle ( Under-15 Discuss and Javelin)

Alastair McDiarmid (Under-17 Shot Putt and Discus)

However, it was the all round strength of the team which produced this excellent result.  This was demonstrated in the 4x100m relay races where there were victories for the Under-11 and Under-15 boys teams with all the other teams finishing either second or third.

In the S.A.F National Road Relays for Men and Woman there were excellent performances by the F.V teams in both events.  Michelle McCormack, Lynn Clement, Caroline Laverless and Janette Stevenson finished in a creditable 4^th place.  Kerr Johnston, Mike McQuade, Michael Ross, Kenny Rankine, Stephen Moore and David Hart finished in an excellent 9^th position.

F.V’s youngsters produced some top class performances at the first McDonalds Young Athletes League match of the season at Grangemouth Stadium on Sunday 6^th May 2001.  The boys were 4^th from 8 and the girls 5^th.

Top F.V individual performer was Under-17 Alastair McDiarmid who was named ‘Field Athlete of the Match’  after winning discuss, hammer and shot.

Also in the Under 17 there was double success for sprinter Allistair Tatton, while James Elliot took the 100m – B race in 12.7sec.

In the younger age groups there were wins for Scott Campbell, Gregor Hastings, Kenneth Robertson and Chris Tatton.

These were supported by a series of excellent second and third placed finishes in both A and B events throughout the competition.

This was also the case in the girls competition where an excellent winning double in the Under-15 girls long jump from Kim Skinner and Sam Duncan.

F.V.H were well represented in the East and West District Championship held at Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh.  Although it was a hot day with a strong head-on breeze in the home straight, this did not hamper some excellent performances.

The most impressive male athlete was Alastair McDiarmid competing in the Under-17’s who came away with four gold medals in the hammer (52m 51cm), a new championship best performance discus (44m 93cm), javelin (44m 95cm) and shot putt (13m 05cm).

Under-20 athlete Richard Harren produced a vault of 4m 10cm for a new championship best in the pole vault, while on the female side 13 year old Kim Skinner recorded a new championship best height in the Under-17 pole vault with 3m 15 cm.

An inspired team performance on the day produced a splendid win for Falkirk Vicoria Harriers in the second match of the Central and South of Scotland Athletic League Division 2.  This performance and news that the team was promoted to first place following scrutiny of the result in the first match result puts the Vics in a very strong position at the top of the league with one match remaining.

Notable individual performances included Alasdair Stewart who ran an impressive race to win the Under-17 1500m in 4 min 36.4sec.  Gordon Munnoch with a determined finish to win the veterans men’s 200m in 26.2sec.

Nicholas and Richard Hurren who won the senior men’s long jump A and B separated by only 2cm with jumps of 6.11m and 6.09m respectively.  Kenneth Robertson a double winner of the Under-15 boys shot putt 9.73 m and the discuss 26.25m.  The 1500m senior and veterans race produced a Senior Men’s A first for Kerr Johnston in 4 min 10.4 sec, and a second in the B for Andy Ronald in 4min 22.9 sec as well as a first in the veterans A race for Alex Bryce in 4min 15.4 sec and David Murray first in the B race 4 min 25.9 sec.

It was the same story for the woman’s side with victories for Racheal Collier Lumsden and Joanne Miller both first in the Under-13 70m hurdles 13.0 sec and 13.8 sec respectively.  Hazel Robertson Under-15 shot putt first 9m 54cm, discuss first 27m 86cm.

In the Veterans Scottish Championship at Pitreavie there was outstanding performances from Alex Bryce in the 800m finishing first in 2min 05.9 sec and second in the 400m in 53.5 sec.  Hugh McGinlay ran in the Over-75 group and had first in the 400m 83.77 sec, 800m 3 min 01 sec, and 1500m 6 min 30 sec.  Others who competed well were Kenny Rankine, David Murray and Paul McKerracher.

The second Railtrack Scottish Woman’s League Match was held at Aberdeen on Sunday 27^th May. 

The Forth Valley Team is made up from 3 clubs Falkirk Vics, Central Region and Dunfermline and West.  Fife finished an excellent 4^th on the day and after two matches now lie in 3rd place.

Falkirk athletes who took part all had good results in their events with Sam Duncan recording a personal best in her long jump 4m 62cm

Larbert teenager Richard Hurren won a bronze medal in the Under-20 Athletics international in Greece.  The 17 year old set a new personal best height in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.40 metres.

The second meeting of the McDonalds League and the boys team went one better than their first outing to take a strong third place finish.

A good number of personal best performances were achieved on the day especially by the sprinters who benefited from the prevailing wind along the home straight.

The girls also finished one place higher than their first match.  Kim Skinner ran two personal bests in the 100 and 200 metres.

Sam Duncan had personal bests in the hurdles and long jump and Gillian Mulholland added almost 4 metres to her javelin.  All in all it was a good day for the team which finished in fourth place.

In the European Indoor Championships in France Alex Bryce had a superb run to win the 800m silver medal in 2 min 04.32 sec.

In the European Veterans 10km road race Championships in Malta Janette Stevenson produced another outstanding performance to win the woman’s over-50 gold medal in a time of 36 min 57 sec finishing 3^rd  overall in the race.