Peeblesshire News | Sport | Ashby pipped as Craig calls the tune

Friday, 5th December, 2008

Published: Friday, 21st July, 2006 11:32

Ashby pipped as Craig calls the tune

By David Knox

INNERLEITHEN'S Tommy Ashby missed out on St Ronan's success by a whisker on Saturday.

The 18-year-old music student, running from a handicap of six-metres, was pipped at the post by training partner Steven Craig (2) in the final of the Games Week Sprint.

Despite the disappointment, Ashby, who is trained by Charlie Russell, was quick to pay tribute to the winner. He said: `I was looking across for Steven and didn't see him until the very end.

`I didn't get away well in the final but all credit to Steven, he ran a great race.`

Geoff Keen (5.5) from Selkirk from Selkirk finished third, with Innerleithen's John Sutherland (6) back in fifth.

Although the 110-metres didn't bring any hometown cheer, the hill races more than made up for it.

Euan Jardine, from Innerleithen, beat a strong field of 23 runners to win the Lee Pen race.

And half-an-hour later 13-year-old Robbie Stoddart finished strongly to win the junior Caerlee Hill Race. The Peebles High pupil told us: `It was really tough going up, and I had to walk a little bit. The sun made it even harder.

`I did the hill race last year and didn't win. So it's great to come in first this time.`

There was also delight at Victoria Park for Games Week Standard Bearer James Doherty. The athletics coach watched proudly as one of his young stars, Sean Grant, sprinted away to win the 200-metres New Zealand Trophy.

The 11-year-old athlete paid tribute to his coach. Sean told the Peeblesshire News: `I've been training with James for a while and really enjoy it, and it's great to finally get a win.

`It was a tough race but I kept going to the line.`

Robbie Patterson won the 800 metres America's Cup.

Earlston's Elliot Ruthven also broke his duck on the track after only taking up athletics the week before.

The 10-year-old, running from 22-metres, broke the youths' 90-metres tape well ahead of Hawick's Chelsea Hogg (12.5) and his training partner Robbie Shirra-Gibb (8.5).

Sean said: `My coach, Scott Renwick, thought I was quite quick for my age and asked me to do running.

`It's great that I've won, and I'll certainly keep running.`

Colin Welsh (scr) from Kelso produced the best run of the day in the open 800-metres. The former Scottish Indoor Champion passed more than a dozen runners on his way to winning in front of Hawick pair Andrew McLean (60) and Stewart Fraser (52.5).

Peebles distance runner Rory McNaughton (50) kept on well in the youths' 1600-metres to finish second behind Hawick's Reece Taylor (scr). Alex Campbell (165), Peebles, finished fourth in the distance race.

Innerleithen's Brian Stannage (250) couldn't match the finish of Kelso's Addie Gray (300) or John Thomson (120) from Coaltown in the open 1600-metres, finishing a close-up third.

In the youths' 200-metres Iain Douglas (21) from Selkirk held on from Hawick's Gary Johnstone (8).

And in the open 200-metres Aidan Patterson (18) finished well to beat David Grieve (18) to the line.

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