Athletics: Thoirs vaults into record books

JAX Thoirs is Scotland’s new pole vault record holder – as the American-based student stakes his claim for the Commonwealth Games.

The 20-year-old Glaswegian cleared 5.37m while representing Washington University at an event in the United States over the weekend.

That was well above the 5.20m qualifying standard required by Scottish men for Glasgow 2014 and pushed Thoirs ahead of record holder Gregor MacLean who cleared 5.35m during 2012.

Meanwhile, Lynsey Sharp claimed a British team record at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

Sharp teamed up with Marilyn Okoro, Jemma Simpson and Tara Bird and together they clocked 8.13.46, becoming the best of Brits in women’s relays at 4 x 800m with Sharp second fastest of the quartet at 2.02.80 and Okoro the fastest at 2.01.8.