Edinburgh AC bid to get off the bottom in Wales

Without their Olympic star Lynsey Sharp, who is currently preparing for her London 2012 800 metres heat in Stratford on Wednesday, August 8, Edinburgh AC flew to Swansea today on another backs-to-the-wall mission in the UK Women’s League Premier Division final match tomorrow.

The Capital outfit are still bottom of the table after a disastrous last-place start to a season involving three demanding and expensive away matches. It is not the first time that Scotland’s only Premier Division representatives, who have never been relegated, have had to fight back from a dangerous position to try and save their status.

They are boosted by the fact 2006 Commonwealth Games pole vaulter Kirsty Maguire returns to competition for the first time since major surgery while World Junior Championship finalist Emily Dudgeon will run both 800m and the 4x400m relay.

EAC are only bottom on match points difference from two other teams, the hosts Swansea and London club Enfield and Haringey. All three teams have seven league points and long-serving team manager Ann Scott insists the Capital side can move off the bottom. “Basically we just need to finish above the other two in this match,” said Scott. “We’ve got a good team out and we’ve got all events covered.”

The track events look particularly strong, with ever-improving Emily Stewart moving down a distance to try the B 800m as well as the 3000m along with Sarah Hood, while Emily’s younger sister Louisa and Laura Dunn tackle the 1500m. Lisa Ferguson does long jump with Sarah Warnock and 100m with back-from-injury Beth Finlayson, Stacey Downie moves up to 400m, and Catriona Pennet is back for the 100m hurdles while two Emma Nuttall and Emma Lowry are a strong combo in the high jump. Susan McKelvie should shine in the hammer.