Athletics: Edinburgh Uni dominate at student championships

EDINBURGH University enjoyed a triumph in the mud, capturing both men’s and women’s individual and team titles at the Scottish athletics student Championships at Stepps on Saturday.

Already the Scottish national short course (4k) champion, Rhona Auckland (Edinburgh) was the favourite to add the student long course (7.2k) title and did it in impressive fashion, finishing in 26:07.70, more than a minute clear of a formidable opponent, the former Scottish 1500 metres champion Morag MacLarty (Dundee), who clocked 27:12.68 with Laura Muir (Glasgow) third in 27:30.07.

“I was handicapped by a hamstring injury and wasn’t able to run flat out but I wouldn’t have beaten Rhona anyway,” said MacLarty, whose career has been blighted by injuries.

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“I’ve only done six running sessions since August,” said the Central AC member, who is coached by Liz McColgan.

Auckland led Edinburgh to an easy team win with ten points from Glasgow, 26, and Strathclyde 49.

Mike Crawley made it an Edinburgh double when he took the men’s 10k race in 35:41.24, almost exactly a minute clear of Kerrick Hesse (Glasgow), 36:41.19, with James Waldie (Edinburgh) third in 36:54.09.

Edinburgh took the team race with 14 points from Glasgow, 69 and Stirling 77.

• Chris O’Hare (Edinburgh AC) finished 20th for Tulsa University in the American NCAA cross country championship in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday.