Brilliant Bronze for Patrick on a weekend of mixed fortunes

Patrick Cannon performed well above his ranking to take an excellent bronze medal in the U13 Boys 800m at the Scottish Championships at Scotstoun on Saturday. 

Having only raced twice this summer due to injury and illness, there was certainly scope for Patrick to improve on his pre-race ranking of twelfth. With U13 athletes not permitted to race more than one 800m in one day, this meant seeded heats being drawn and the final placings and medals being awarded based on times across all four “timed finals”. Patrick’s pre-race ranking saw him drawn in the B race, however he gave himself the best possible chance of a high placing by ensuring a decent pace and storming down the home straight to win his heat in a time of 2.28.19. That was a one-second PB on a very windy day when the norm proved to be around six seconds slower than their best. The front two finishers in the following A heat were clearly quicker, but anxious looks at the stadium clock and  approximate hand-times as the third runner crossed the line meant Patrick was in the mix to be third fastest overall. After what seemed an age, the announcement came requesting Patrick’s presence for the medal ceremony and a well deserved bronze medal.

James Clare was drawn in the C race and took it on at a good consistent pace, eventually finishing second in 2.37.20. Esme Minto ran in Girls' C race but found the strong wind really tough down the back. However she picked up again to finish strongly for 2.54.39.

On the Sunday, much improved conditions were more conducive to good times and after taking silver in the Scottish Schools U15 Boys 1500m in June after a hampered preparation, a fully fit Ethan Elder was a strong medal contender. He qualified very comfortably for the final, doing no more than necessary for the fourth automatic qualifying spot but come the final he was just not himself, dropping off a pace he would normally be comfortable with and finishing 13^th of fourteen. Having last Sunday run a 2.07 800m off a too-fast first lap of 59/60 seconds, he had shown he was on good form and coach, athlete and dad were all equally bamboozled by his flat run. Maybe he'd have been better doing the 800m which was won in 2.08 off a 63 second first lap. Back to the drawing board.

Charlotte Morrison ran in the U15G 1500m but got dragged into racing too fast early on, her first lap being a full five seconds ahead of PB pace, and she subsequently tired.

Moorfoot trained Ailsa Innes, running in the Lasswade vest, ran well to qualify as the fastest loser for the U20 Women’s 800m in 2.19.16 but a back problem caused her to withdraw from the final.

So a weekend of mixed fortunes, but lifted by Patrick's brilliant bronze.