Mcinroy throws himself into top

ON A dreich, shower-ridden day with a snell wind gusting round Pitreavie Athletics Centre, a standout performance from new Scottish discus champion Angus McInroy brightened the outlook for national success in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi this autumn.

Having twice passed the Games qualifying standard in recent days, McInroy gained the all-important mark for the third time, booking his flight to India without question and throwing the discus further than any Scot had ever done in Scotland.

The new Scottish champion's throw of 56.76 metres was an astonishing 5.11 metres longer than his championship-winning distance last year, while his new Scottish record of 58.77 metres recently set in Italy represented a gain of more than six metres in a season.

Maths graduate McInroy of Shettleston Harriers is not calculating on immediate success in Delhi, however. The modest 23-year-old knows he has to improve still more to reach medal contention and in the meantime he has computer studies to complete at Glasgow University.

"I have got to tail back now to do the studying and to keep myself in shape for Delhi," said McInroy. "The Delhi Games will be my focus but I don't know if I will have the chance of a medal there.

My real aim is for a medal by the time of the 2014 Games in Glasgow, when I should be approaching peak age for a discus thrower."

Though Edinburgh AC member Susan McKelvie also improved on last year's winning hammer distance by 1.51m to take the title again with a throw of 60.84m, McInroy was the one to watch from yesterday's low-key championships, which doubled as Commonwealth Games trials.

There must be concern in Scottish athletics circles when no other athlete matched the Games standard and two championship events could only attract three competitors, the women's pole vault and women's 3,000m steeplechase being won respectively by Jennifer Graham of Victoria Park Glasgow and Emma Raven of Chester le Street Harriers. The latter set a new championship record of 10 mins 13.1 secs, a terrific achievement in such poor weather.

There was disappointment for Hawick kebab shop owner and Turkish native Iskan Barskanmay, whose dreams of representing his original country against the likes of Usain Bolt may not be fulfilled.

There will be no delight in Turkey about his performances yesterday. A sprinter on the Borders grass circuit, Barskanmay needed a time of 10.8 secs to have a chance of selection but could not beat 11.6 secs.

The national 100m title went to Nick Smith of Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers for the sixth time in a time of 10.7 secs.The women's 100m was won by Lucy Evans of Sale Harriers in 10.7 secs.

The championships are being held over two days and there might be better performances to come in today's events such as the men's 1,500m where last year's winner, Alistair Hay, is through to the final after winning his heat, while Morag McLarty is through to defend the women's title over the same distance.

Defending champion Claire Gibson of Kilbarchan AAC will face a stern test in the women's 800m where Beth Duff of East Kilbride, winner of the other heat, and Jade McLaren of Victoria Park Glasgow looked contenders.

Other titles decided yesterday included the men's triple jump won by John Carr of Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers. Jade Nimmo of Falkirk Victoria won the Long Jump while the women's high jump went to Emma Nuttall of Edinburgh 1.75m. In the men's 5,000m, Tsegezab Woldemichael of Shettleston Harriers was three seconds clear of the field to successfully defend his title.

Scot Thompson of Aberdeen won the shot putt and Estelle Kagambega of Victoria Park Glasgow won the women's javelin, while wheelchair athletes Ross Low and Collette Martin notched triple championships.