BRITISH & IRISH INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY 2024

Blast from Belfast !!!!
So where do I start especially when we have so much to shout about.
14 Team medals from Bronze all the way up to Glorious Gold.
10 Individual medals won.
As a team manager and I'm sure Ada will echo my thoughts. Our Scotland team are 2nd to none when it comes to team spirit especially when we all get together on these special days.
So what do team managers look for on these days? For this I will give you all my own takings from it.
Well from our experienced pros like Archie Jenkins who is the only athlete from any Nation who has competed in every age group from m35 through to Saturday's m70 run (outstanding achievement which won't be broken) right all the way through to the newbies you did us proud.
Unfortunately I can't highlight every individual athlete or team results so I will generalize if that's alright? But what does putting that Scotland vest means to so many of us.
This year we increased the number of automatic selected athletes from our trial making it more appealing to those who have never made the team before.
Well next year is going to be even more interesting as the numbers for the International is changing due to equality. Numbers competing between men & women will change. m35 - m50 & w35 - w50 will see the men's participating numbers reduced from 6 to 5 and the women's numbers increase from 4 to 5.
This was brought up at the team mangers meeting and adopted so what a great opportunity for the ladies. Also makes things spicy for the men to get into that 1st 5 (more details to follow regarding other age groups).
Before I go onto my race reports I would like to thank all the Scottish organising committee for both the trial & the events over in Belfast itself. One lady sits in the background and is maybe only known as Andy Laws wife Ishbel but believe me this lady does an amazing amount of work for us every year. So Ishbel a HUGE thank you from everyone at SVHC.
So as mentioned earlier unfortunately I can't mention everyone but I wish I could but I am going to mention our individual medal winners as any medal whether it be team or individual really really is some achievement.
w75 - Doreen Henderson - Bronze
w65 - Isobel Burnett - Silver
w60 - Fiona Matheson - Silver
w55 - Janet Dunbar - Bronze
w50 - Avril Mason - Bronze
w35 - Jennifer Wetton - Bronze
m75 - Alex Sutherland - Bronze
m60 - Chris Upson - Silver
m40 - Darrell Hastie - Silver
m35 - Kevin Campbell - Gold ( overall race winner of the young ones )
Each and every one of our athletes did outstanding on the day and watching from the side lines can be still raise the hair on the back of your neck especially watching our newbies.
You can see the nerves on their faces before the start & warm up. Not wanting to let anyone down but the most important thing for these athletes is to gain experience and soak up the atmosphere as each & everyone one of you deserved your place.
This year we trialled out taking reserves along with us, again to gain experience for future events. These reserves narrowly missed out on gaining automatic selection but are still very much part of the team and our ethos moving forward when future teams are being selected.
As it stands, we are equal when it comes to our team scorings whereby our gents won 7 team medals but not to be outdone our ladies also won 7. I must say our ladies are much better looking ..............lol
I witnessed so many of our athletes raise their game on Saturday and truly hope we have you on our team next year.
By having so many newbies it just added to the occasion and I know if we asked them to run through a wall there would have been a queue to do so on Saturday. I loved watching you all honestly.
One newbie I feel must get his own mention is Mr Kevin Campbell (please stand up please stand up).
So much for being nervous when this was your first International, to lead from gun to tape was so special to watch and I'm sure everyone would have told you the same on Saturday night.
Kevin, truly outstanding buddy it really was.
Before I sign off I would like to show my appreciation for the year round support I receive from Ada & Andy without these guys there wouldn't be a SVHC ( both are worth their weight in gold )
A huge thank you also goes to Pete Bracegirdle for our outstanding photos.
Until next year everyone stay safe and see you all in Leeds in 2025
John