Athletics: Lauren Wilson hoping to build on 'surprise' cross-country bronze

Lauren Wilson led Edinburgh Athletic Club's senior ladies to team gold and finished third herself in the Scottish East District Cross-Country championships

Reflecting on her third-place finish in wintry weather and muddy conditions at Stirling University, she said she surprised herself after a gruelling triathlon season.

The club’s senior ladies team took gold by just two points from Aberdeen AAC, with Wilson leading the charge.

She was backed up by clubmates Beth Ansell in sixth, Janet Dunbar in 23rd and Elaine Eadie just behind in 24th.

The results mean Wilson and Ansell will earn a call-up for Scotland East in the upcoming Scottish inter-district championships.

Wilson said: “After a busy summer of triathlons, I took it easy for a while to recover, and this was my first race back. I was really pleased with how it went.

“The course at Stirling really suits me and I was pleasantly surprised with the result. I’m looking forward to building on this.”

Janet Dunbar continued her recent rich vein of form with an individual silver medal in the veterans’ race, and she led her clubmates Hazel MacCormick and Julie Wilson to team silver.

The senior men’s team finished fourth overall, while the veteran men’s team of Stuart Johnston, Leon Johnson and Michael Fullerton took bronze medals.

The club’s junior teams also did themselves proud. Harry Mackay, Tom Brydie and Reuben Lees swept to team gold in the boys’ under-13 race.

The under-15 girls claimed silver as Jessica Taylor ran to victory. The under-17 team of Anise Macaulay-Orr, Katie Johnson and Sorcha Shepherd clinched bronze.