THE rude and increasingly diverse health of athletics in the Borders was well and truly demonstrated by the medal haul of Borders athletes at the East of Scotland Championships at held at Grangemouth at the weekend.

No fewer than 13 championship titles and gold medals were won by Borders athletes alongside six silver medals and five bronze. On top of that a host of other Borders athletes made finals.

Peeblesshire athletes were to the fore with West Linton’s Stacey Downie performing with distinction at the age of 29, taking the senior women’s 100m and 400m titles and just being denied a hat-trick with silver in the 200m.

There were championship titles and gold medals also for Dolphinton’s Jordan Charters in the senior men’s long jump with a leap of 7.17m, Craig Mullins from Peebles in the U20 men’s hammer and Cardrona’s Ellie O’Hara in the Under 15 girls’ triple jump. Jordan also took bronze in the senior men’s 100m in a time of 11.32 seconds.

Moorfoot Runners had a healthy share of middle distance medals. Kobe Stevens came very close to his first District championship title, just missing out in the U20 men’s 800m and taking silver with a new PB of 1.59.11.

And it was double silver for the Peebleshire club in the U15 800m. Charlotte Clare slashed four seconds off her personal best with a strong run in the girls race, finishing in 2.22.05 and Michael Girdler, who is still only 12 years old, got down to 2.06.76 in the boys equivalent, a three second improvement on his PB.

Concluding the Moorfoot medal haul was Ethan Elder who made similar strides in the U15 boys’ 1500m, getting the verdict in a two-way photo-finish for the silver medal in a new best of 4.31.76.

Competing for the Lasswade club, Hannah Little from Peebles took bronze in the U15 girls 800m just behind Charlotte Clare, in a time of 2.22.91.

Gold Medals: SenW 100m – Stacey Downie (EAC) 12.25s, SenW 400m – Stacey Downie (EAC) 56.58s, Sen M Long Jump – Jordan Charters (Sale) 7.17m, U20W 100m – Katie Browne (EAC) 12..62s, U20M 100m - Cameron Tindle (EAC) 10.69s, U20M 200m - Cameron Tindle (EAC) 21.44s (new record), U20M Hammer – Craig Mullins (EAC) 55.73m , U15G Javelin – Keira Waddell (Chirnside) 32.90m (new record), U15G Pole Vault – Rosie Browne (EAC) 2.27m, U15G Triple Jump – Ellie O’Hara (EAC) 10.35m, U15B High Jump – Adam Leighton (Lasswade) 1.65m, U13G Shot Putt – Hannah Hamilton-Meikle (Chirnside) 8.84m, U13B Shot Putt – Archie Fuller (Chirnside) 7.73m.

Silvers: Sen W 200m – Stacey Downie (EAC) 25.06s, U20W 100m – Emily Dagg (EAC) 12.90m, U20M 800m – Kobe Stevens (Moorfoot) 1.59.11, U15G 800m – Charlotte Clare (Moorfoot) 2.22.05, U15B 800m – Michael Girdler (Moorfoot) 2.06.76, U15B 1500m – Ethan Elder (Moorfoot) 4.31.76.

Bronzes: SenM 100m – Jordan Charters (Sale) 11.32s, U20W 200m – Jasmine Tomlinson (EAC) 25.92s, U15G 800m – Hannah Little (Lasswade) 2.22.91, U15B Javelin – Harry Fuller (Chirnside) 19.78m, U13B Javelin – Archie Fuller (Chirnside) 19.81m.