Athletics: Baillie backs young Scots for Barcelona

At least a dozen will compete in the World Junior trials meeting – the England Athletics Under-20s championships – with their hopes varying from genuine contenders to those chasing a big personal best with a dream attached.

The likes of Kirsten McAslan, Emily Dudgeon, Laura Muir and Nick Percy will feel they do have a realistic chance of reaching the World Juniors in what would be a marvellous experience for any young athlete.

Chris Baillie went to the World Juniors in Chile back in 2000 and reached the 110m hurdles final, 12 months after being crowned European Junior champion.

“It is great we have a few contenders for the World Juniors in Barcelona and hopefully a handful can do enough to make the GB team,” said Baillie, who won a Commonwealth Games silver medal in Melbourne in 2006.

“Santiago was a great learning experience for me. Barcelona is a lot closer than South America but I still think it would be great for Scottish athletes to be part of that. We’d be looking at some of them coming through for Glasgow 2014 two years later and that’s why being at a major championships this summer would benefit them.”

McAslan has a strong chance of 400m representation as Britain’s top-ranked Under-20 woman. But she’s just outside the qualifying time at present. Dudgeon has the time for 800m and Muir has it for 3000m but is just outside it for the 1500m. In the discus, Percy must throw a personal best by 1.38 metres to improve the Scottish Junior Record (for 1.75kg) to make the GB qualifying mark.

Rhona Auckland will contest the 5000m but is outside the required standard. Kirsty Yates is in a similar position in the shot put while Rachel Hunter needs 3m for the hammer. Tom Holligan is eyeing the 200m or the relays, with Edinburgh AC team-mate Jay Younger a contender for the 400m relay squad.