ANDY Douglas finished on the podium at the Scottish National Cross Country Championships for the fourth time in his career, leading Inverclyde Athletic Club’s team home at Callander Park in Falkirk.

He finished in a time of 32.48 for third place, just four seconds behind fellow northerner Ross Gollan, representing Shettleston Harriers.

Jamie Crowe from Central AC defended his title from 2020, a month before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Andy last made the podium in 2018, also finishing third. He won silver in 2012 and 2016.

He led the senior men to fifth, with the second counter being 2020 runner-up Jonny Glen, who represented the team the week after his marathon debut in Seville.

Off the back of running 2.20.54 over the 26 miles, Jonny finished 13th, less than a minute in front of third counter John Bell in 22nd.

Ryan Gray was fourth in in 34th in his first senior National Cross Country Championships, showing the strength of the team through its younger athletes. In his first Nationals in the black and white stripes, Gregor Yates was close behind in 42nd.

With injuries blighting the team and other runners out of the country, the sixth counter was further down the field than usual, with in-form veteran Nick Gemmell placing 143rd.

Sean Gaffney was 245th and Robert Gray was 440th in a field of 627 finishers.

Two impressive runs came in the women’s under-20 and senior races.

First, junior athlete Meredith Reid stopped Edinburgh University from a clean sweep of the top six spots, finishing fourth in a time of 27.11. The top two spots were occupied by British internationalists Megan Keith and Cera Gemmell, while Hannah Anderson completed the podium.

This was Meredith’s first Nationals at the under-20 age group and will be one of the favourites next year in her last as a junior.

In the senior women’s race, Nynke Mulholland just missed the top 10 with a finish of 11th. This was her best performance ever at Nationals and her first finish since 2015.

In the under-20 men’s race, Josh Law finished the cross country season by placing 28th.

Grace Barry and Pearl Paterson were 68th and 93rd respectively in the under-13 girls in a field of 140 runners; and Ewan Docherty was 70th from 124 runners in the boys race. All made their National debuts with performances they can be proud of.

Ava Beaton was a strong 43rd in the under-15 girls competition, finishing easily inside the top half of the field while her team-mate Iris Paterson was 75th.

Liam Kane completed the junior runners in the under-15 boys' race, finishing 75th from 139.