CONAN Harper is eyeing European glory after being selected for Team GB to compete at the U20 European Championships in Jerusalem next month.
The 18-year-old started his athletics journey competing in the primary schools Super4’s Cross Country Series and the Primary Schools Cross Country Championships in Annandale and Eskdale. This year he ran the 5000m quicker at 17-years-old than Mo Farah did at 19, finished the fastest 5000m for a Scottish U20 athlete in 45 years, became the second Scottish U20 athlete to ever break the 14-minute barrier for the 5000m and he ran the fastest 3000m time for an U20 athlete in Europe. Conan also holds several first, second and third ranks in Scotland and the UK at various distances
After several impressive performances this year on the track and road, Conan, who receives support through the “Welcome to Langholm” Future Champions Awards, has deservedly earned his place in the TeamGB squad that will fly out to Israel on August 3 and will see Conan compete in the 5000m a week later.
Following the championships, the youngster will head to the Charleston Southern University in the USA to start his athletics scholarship.
Elsewhere, Matilda Brockley represented Scottish Schools Athletics in the Schools International Athletics Board (SIAB) Track and Field Championships in Grangemouth on Sunday.
Competing against athletes from England, Ireland and Wales, Matilda represented her country in the Triple Jump.
The 15-year-old was sitting in 3rd place with one round of jumps remaining after setting a new personal best with a jump of 11.58m. On an earlier jump, one of the Welsh athletes set a new British Record and, frustratingly for Matilda, one of the English athletes jumped 8cm further on her last jump to push the Langholm youngster into 4th place.
Matilda, however, remains the No1 U17 Triple Jumper in Scotland and she has also moved up to the No3 rank in the UK.
She has a very busy summer ahead competing in the Heptathlon (combined events) at the U17 English Athletics Championships in Manchester, the U17 Scottish Athletics Championships in Grangemouth and the U20 Scottish Athletics Championships in Aberdeen.
Matilda receives support through the “Welcome to Langholm” Future Champions Awards.
And Ava Bell jumped to the top of the Scottish U15 Triple Jump Rankings at Sunday’s Cumbria League Athletics meeting in Carlisle.
Competing for Annan and District Athletics Club at the Sheepmount Athletics Track, Ava broke her personal best on all three of her jumps. With an original PB of 8.94m, she jumped 9.36m (1st), 9.48m (2nd) and a fantastic final jump of 9.60m that moves her from 7th to 1st place in the U15 Scottish Triple Jump Rankings.
Also competing for ADAC were Murray Cubbon, Ruaridh Phillips, Calum Grant, Grace Bell, Ava Cubbon, Erin Grant, Luke Rome, Mollie Phillips and Evelyn Bell.
