Learmonth ready to prove he’s the Guy ahead of 800 metres defence

Lasswade’s Guy Learmonth, already delighted with the progress he has made, will round off his indoor season by defending his British Universities 800 metres title at Sheffield this weekend.

The fastest ever British teenager indoors, thanks to his 1:47.84 in the Birmingham Games last Saturday, Learmonth has quickly put behind him the disappointment of not being chosen for the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul next week.

“Istanbul would have been a bonus but there’ll be plenty more opportunities – I’m really happy with my breakthrough,” said the 19-year-old Loughborough student.

Edinburgh University’s Ray Bobrownicki has high hopes of defending his high jump title after clearing 2.20m in taking the Scottish title.

Also heading for Sheffield, where she will run the 1500 metres, is Emily Stewart (Edinburgh), who was bitterly disappointed at having to drop out of last Saturday’s Scottish Under-20 Cross Country Championships at Falkirk due to a heavy cold.

EAC clubmate Allan Hamilton might well have also been competing in the long jump, had Queen Margaret University not apparently forgotten to enter him.

European Junior 4x4 last lap hero Kirsten McAslan intended to defend her 400 metres title at the AAA Under-20 Championships at the NIA in Birmingham this weekend, but has had to withdraw due to severe tonsilitis.

Ben Robbins (EAC) however will be bidding for the Under-17 200 metres title, after winning the Scottish senior title at Kelvin Hall last Sunday — remarkably — at the age of only 15.

Clubmate Silvano Marcantonio, who is also entered in the 60 metres and 60 metres hurdles, could be a medal chance in the under-15 200 metres.

Also entered is Peter Loudon (EAC), who goes into the Under-20 800 after taking the Scottish senior bronze last Sunday.