Emily's superb run of form continues

Published 12 May 2010 14:00 0 Comments

Share this

PRIZE WINNER: Emily pictured after her win in Glasgow at the weekend.

THE sparkling run of form of top local female athlete Emily Pollock continued with a superb victory in the Ignis Asset Management Women's 10km road race in Glasgow.

Fresh from setting two Greenock Glenpark club records over 800m and one mile in her last two races, Emily lined up on Sunday with the aim of running a steady race and using this as very much a training run.

However from the start, 17-year-old Emily felt fresh and strong, despite having trained hard on Saturday morning, and decided to push on a little and see what time she could post.

This relaxed approach and her current high level of fitness saw her cruise through the field and comfortably win the under-20 category in a new personal best time of 40 minutes 23 seconds.

Emily has been selected to represent the West Coast team at next weekend's Scottish Athletics Inter-Regional Championships.

This competition is only open to under-20 and senior athletes, so Emily will be among the youngest selected. She will line up in the 800m where she will hope to again re-write her personal best and club record.

She will also soon set another record when she becomes the youngest female senior club champion at Glenpark, taking the record from training partner Emma Baxter, who won the title last year.

Emily was fortunate during the Easter holidays to be part of the Scottish Athletics Commonwealth Games squad's warm weather training camp held in Portugal's Algarve.

Her coach Norrie Hay commented: "Our training camp has had a positive effect on Emily's fitness, but more importantly on her confidence.

"The opportunity to train with female athletes, some of whom had represented Great Britain at the World Cross Country and European Cross Country, showed she can compete at a higher level.

"However, the main reason for these improved performances has been Emily's consistent level of training over the last six months.

"These performances are a reward for all the hard work through the worst of the winter weather."

Emily will now focus on the Inter-Regional Championships and her last Scottish Schools Championships before she is off to Edinburgh University in September.

Coach Hay added: "Emily's departure to Edinburgh will not be the end of our six-year coaching relationship. Her education will take precedence, although hopefully she can continue her athletics at a high level.

"She is the third of my coaching group in the last three years to head to Edinburgh University, and leaves some vacancies in my group. If any 13 to 15-year-old athletes are keen to take their athletics to the next level, call me on 07545 762966."

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 12 May 10

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Sport archives.

Follow @greenocktele