Athletics: Emilys catch eye at Loughborough

While Eilidh Child (Pitreavie) won the 400 metres hurdles at the Loughborough International with her fastest time of the season– 55.92 seconds – it was two Emilys from the Capital who provided the talking points.

Cambridge University first year medical student Emily Dudgeon slashed more than three seconds off her best time in finishing a close second to England’s Hannah England in the 800m.

The 19-year-old Edinburgh AC athlete was timed at 2:03.28, easily beating the World Junior Championship qualifying standard of 2:05.00, with England, a silver medallist in last year’s World Championship 1500m, recording 2:02.05.

Dudgeon’s clubmate Emily Stewart won the 3000m steeplechase in her first-ever race at the full distance. Stewart clocked 10:15.56 to gain revenge on Pippa Woolven (GB Juniors), who had beaten her in the 2K event at the BUCS Championships in London two weeks previously, but she was disappointed with her time even though it was the fourth fastest ever by a Scot.

“I need to do more work on my barrier technique,” said the second year Edinburgh University maths student. Meanwhile, Lynsey Sharp (EAC) opened her season with victory in 2:02.74 in the 800m at the BMC Nike Grand Prix meeting in Manchester on Saturday night.

At the same meeting Freya Murray’s bid for an Olympic qualifying time in the 5000m came unstuck when the 28-year-old Edinburgh runner failed to stay with the early pace of Jo Pavey (Exeter) who went on to win in 15:14.19, an Olympic A standard, while Murray dropped back to eighth.