Golden day for Graeme

David Knox • Published 6 Jan 2012 09:30 0 Comments

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IT was the year when final could be replaced by the word formality.

Graeme Lister (12.5 metres) justified his short odds favouritism by comfortably landing the 143rd New Year Sprint.

The 25-year-old metal company buyer from Kirkcaldy, who is better known as a middle-distance athlete on the Borders and Highland games circuits, had previously destroyed the fields in his heat and cross-tie of the 110-metres before breaking the tape around two metres clear in the final at Musselburgh.

After achieving seven or eight metres gaps in the previous rounds, the final proved to be closer than most predicted - the winning time of 11.62 seconds slower than his heat (11.38) or cross-tie (11.18).

Lister, who is coached by Eric Simpson, told us: "I didn't get away as well as I had and it took around 20 metres to really get going. Once I got in front I thought I could hold on.

"There was a bit of pressure with everyone saying I was the favourite but I just put it all to the back of mind. It's a great feeling to have won."

The victory was the second in a row for the Simpson camp after Martyn Patterson broke the tape in a similar fashion last year.

Following the final Lister confessed he will be returning to his favoured 400 metres and 800 metres for the 2012 summer.

One youngster who will continue to concentrate on his sprinting is Jedburgh teenager Seb Harrison (8.5).

The 18-year-old mechanical engineering student improved with each round, qualifying from the heats and cross-ties as a fastest loser, to claim a surprise runners-up place in the final.

Harrison, who is coached between Chico Woods and Charlie Afleck, admitted he was as shocked as anyone to claim second. He said: "Everyone expected Lister to run away with it so there was no pressure on anyone else. I got away really well and was able to relax.

"The final was a lot closer than I thought it would be and I'm happy to get second.

"I'm due Charlie (Afleck) and Chico (Woods) a big thanks for all of their help."

Billy Martin (15.5) from Glenrothes shaded third place ahead of Edinburgh's Kieran Reilly (11) with front-marker Willie Bates (16.5) of Tullibody half-a-metre back in fifth.

Former Scottish age-group champion Kieran Kivlin (8) claimed sixth ahead of Selkirk's Colin Bruce (14) and Tweedbank teenager Angus Stanners (9.25), who shared seventh place.

Bruce, who required a breakfast of painkillers both mornings, admitted his groin strain restricted his running in the final.

Although Sunday's main sprint final didn't produce as close a finish as most would like, the previous day's action was a different story.

The Pat Chester 90 metres served up one of the closest finishes ever at Musselburgh with four athletes crossing the line together.

Following a lengthy deliberation by the photo-finish judges Newtongrange teenager Charlie Carstairs (10) was given the verdict.

The 17-year-old, who is coached by Andy Sobik at Lasswade AC, was clocked at the same time as runner up Billy Martin (14).

Third-placed Eric Smart (15) from Whitely Bay was only one-hundredth of a second further back in third.

Carstairs said: "It was unbelievably close going across the line - I had no idea who won.

"I was down a metre going into the last 20 but I came back at them."

Dolphinton's Jordan Charters (11.5) fell over the line to claim fourth in the blanket finish.

The 16-year-old told us: "I can't remember much about the race, it was all a blur. I knew I was in with a chance midway down the track but I didn't think I was getting there when I fell at the end."

Veteran duo Tom Bradley (23.75) of Edinburgh and Hawick's Ross Weir (18.5) finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

Smart, who won the New Year Sprint back in 1988, had previously triumphed in the final of the veterans 90 metres to claim the Willie Lyle Memorial Trophy.

The 55-year-old finished strongly to beat Bradley and Weir with Selkirk's Craig Douglas (23) claiming fourth.

Edinburgh teenager Ben Robbins (3.5) got up on the line to claim the Pat Mulgrew Youths 90 metres from Jedforest duo Holly McKay (16) and Rory Marshall (7.5).

The 15-year-old, who is coached by David Goodall, told us: "I got a bit worried that I wasn't going to catch the front runners but I got there just in time.

"I've been second and sixth in previous finals so it was good to finally win."

Kingsley Cunningham-Williams (5.5) from Edinburgh AC just edged out Jasmine Tomlinson (15) for fourth with Innerleithen duo Eve Huxley (17.5) and Ryan Houton (13) sharing the minor places with Jed's Eoin Lowther (15.5).

Huxley (10.5) showed enough improvement in the final of the Youths (10-12 years) 60 metres for victory. The St Ronan's Primary School Dux Girl, who is coached by Charlie Russell, won by a stride from Jedforest's Cameron Fisher (12.25) and Michael Dennis (8) of Edinburgh AC.

The 11-year-old said: "We've been doing lots of shorter sprints in training and I like the distance.

"I didn't think I was going to win but I kept going as fast as I could."

The Youths (13-15 years) 60 metres also went to the girls with Holly McKay (10) reversing the 90 metres placings with Ben Robbins (1).

The 15-year-old, who is coached by her grandfather Chico Woods, just held on in the final few metres to break the tape. She said: "Winning this has made up for being second in the other final. I've been running off and on for a few years and this is my first win."

Selkirk's Kerr Gerrard (4.75) made up for a fall in the 90 metres by finishing third in the blanket finish from Edinburgh's Natalie Robbins (9.5) with Jedburgh duo Jasmine Tomlinson (9.25) and Rory Marshall (4.25) taking fifth and sixth, respectively.

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 06 Jan 12

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