12/2/2008Young athletes race to 2014
HUNDREDS of Scotland's most promising young athletes got on track for 2014 at a national sports event in Glasgow.
More than 900 pupils from 170 schools across the country filled the city's Kelvin Hall sports complex to take part in this year's schools Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Many of the youngsters taking part in the one-day event, which is sponsored by ScottishPower, are already in training for the Commonwealth Games, to be held in Glasgow in six years time.
Scottish athletics legend Liz McColgan was on hand to offer competitors some expert tips.
Liz won the Commonwealth 10,000m title in Edinburgh in 1991 and took silver for the same distance at the Olympics in 1988.
Pupils from 16 schools across the city, including Knightswood Secondary, Springburn Academy and Lourdes Secondary Schoolwere represented at the championships.
The young athletes were vying for medals in a range of sports including hurdles, sprinting, high jump and shot putt.
Sprinter Beth Potter, a pupil at Bearsden Academy, is already being feted by coaches as one of the country's best hopes for 2014 and has represented Scotland in the sport in the Czech Republic.
The 16-yearold, who is a member of the Victoria Park City of Glasgow club, took gold in the over16s 1500m clocking in at an impressive 4 minutes 34 seconds.
She said: "I was pleased with my time. I was really excited when I found out the games were coming to Glasgow.
"That's what I'm aiming for now. I think it will encourage a lot more young people to get involved in sport."
Daniel Carlin, 17, a pupil at St Luke's in Barrhead, Renfrewshire took gold in the shot putt, scoring an impressive 17.41m.
He plans to combine a degree inaccountancy with intensive training for a possible place in the Commonwealth Games.
He said: "I'm hoping to take part in the games. I would like to play the sport professionally but it's quite difficult with funding.
"I think schools could do more to encourage young people to take up sport professionally but a lot don't have great facilities."
Sandy Robertson, a PE teacher at Springburn Academy, said: "Events like this are the grassroots of Scottish athletics. What comes from here will be our future. There's hundreds of athletes> competing here who have the potential to go all the way to the Commonwealth Games.
"Having the games in Glasgow to aim for is a major incentive for these young people.
"What is important now is keeping the momentum going. That is their target and we are looking for schools and teachers to continue to nurture the talent of these young people." The schools competing from GLASGOW were: All Saint's Secondary, Bannerman High School, Craigholme, Glasgow Academy, Glasgow School of Sports, High School of Glasgow, Hutcheson's Grammar, Hyndland, Jordanhill School, Kelvinside Academy, Knightswood Secondary, Lourdes Secondary School, Rosshall Academy, Smithycroft High School, Springburn Academy and St. Aloyius College .
More than 900 pupils from 170 schools across the country filled the city's Kelvin Hall sports complex to take part in this year's schools Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Many of the youngsters taking part in the one-day event, which is sponsored by ScottishPower, are already in training for the Commonwealth Games, to be held in Glasgow in six years time.
Scottish athletics legend Liz McColgan was on hand to offer competitors some expert tips.
Liz won the Commonwealth 10,000m title in Edinburgh in 1991 and took silver for the same distance at the Olympics in 1988.
Pupils from 16 schools across the city, including Knightswood Secondary, Springburn Academy and Lourdes Secondary Schoolwere represented at the championships.
The young athletes were vying for medals in a range of sports including hurdles, sprinting, high jump and shot putt.
Sprinter Beth Potter, a pupil at Bearsden Academy, is already being feted by coaches as one of the country's best hopes for 2014 and has represented Scotland in the sport in the Czech Republic.
The 16-yearold, who is a member of the Victoria Park City of Glasgow club, took gold in the over16s 1500m clocking in at an impressive 4 minutes 34 seconds.
She said: "I was pleased with my time. I was really excited when I found out the games were coming to Glasgow.
"That's what I'm aiming for now. I think it will encourage a lot more young people to get involved in sport."
Daniel Carlin, 17, a pupil at St Luke's in Barrhead, Renfrewshire took gold in the shot putt, scoring an impressive 17.41m.
He plans to combine a degree inaccountancy with intensive training for a possible place in the Commonwealth Games.
He said: "I'm hoping to take part in the games. I would like to play the sport professionally but it's quite difficult with funding.
"I think schools could do more to encourage young people to take up sport professionally but a lot don't have great facilities."
Sandy Robertson, a PE teacher at Springburn Academy, said: "Events like this are the grassroots of Scottish athletics. What comes from here will be our future. There's hundreds of athletes> competing here who have the potential to go all the way to the Commonwealth Games.
"Having the games in Glasgow to aim for is a major incentive for these young people.
"What is important now is keeping the momentum going. That is their target and we are looking for schools and teachers to continue to nurture the talent of these young people." The schools competing from GLASGOW were: All Saint's Secondary, Bannerman High School, Craigholme, Glasgow Academy, Glasgow School of Sports, High School of Glasgow, Hutcheson's Grammar, Hyndland, Jordanhill School, Kelvinside Academy, Knightswood Secondary, Lourdes Secondary School, Rosshall Academy, Smithycroft High School, Springburn Academy and St. Aloyius College .
Young athletes race to win
Young athletes race to win