Records fall at EAP Indoor International in Glasgow

Scottish athletes take centre stage during new event at Emirates Arena

Records fell and Scottish athletes stood out as the inaugural Events for Athletics Promotion (EAP) Indoor International Meet took place in Glasgow on Sunday (February 2). 

Records fall

A crowd of around 1100 descended on the Emirates Arena, venue for last year’s World Athletics Indoor Championships, to watch a number of Olympians, Paralympians and high quality competitors from across the UK and Europe in action. But it was the performances of the home athletes that took centre stage. 

Top of the bill was Alessandro Schenini. He broke the Scottish indoor record, and Scottish native record, in the men’s long jump, reaching out to 7.86m and going five centimetres further than Darren Ritchie’s previous mark. The Giffnock North athlete was followed by fellow countrymen Stephen Mackenzie (7.78m) and Murray Fotheringham (7.72m).

On the track, Alyson Bell took the plaudits after completing an impressive 60m and 200m sprint double. In the shorter sprint, the Scot got the photo finish verdict and secured the Scottish native record after she and Joy Eze both clocked 7.33. It wasn’t long before Bell was in full flow again, winning the women’s 200m in 23.45.

Another highlight of the evening came during the men’s 1500m, which was won by Joe Wigfield in 3:37.72 ahead of Archie Davis’ 3:38.58. Third-placed Kane Elliott broke the Scottish native record for the distance with his run of 3:40.75, lowering a mark that had stood for 28 years. 

Kane-Elliott (Bobby Gavin)

Elsewhere, Irish two-time European relay gold medallist Sharlene Mawdsley looked sharp in the women’s 400m, clocking a PB of 51.69 to edge out British training partner Lina Nielsen’s 51.86. Both were inside the qualifying standards for next month’s European Indoor Championships. 

Ava Lloyd, training partner to Keely Hodgkinson at the M11 Track Club, won the women’s 800m in 2:05.13, edging out Hannah Cameron (2:05.87), while Denmark’s Simon Hansen won the men’s 60m in 6.69 and British Paralympian Zac Shaw led home a men’s Para 60m mixed classification race in 7.22.