Falkirk Victoria Harriers: Athletes have a year to remember, 2022 long read review

The community club, which uses the excellent facilities at Grangemouth Stadium has seen its athletes break numerous Club Championship records, achieve new P.B’s and represent Scotland at a number of events across the country. Here is a look back over some of the events that took place in 2022 and the successes for the club.

Track and Field

In January, the Scottish Athletics Inter-district Championship at Irvine saw medals for East District teams which included the following FVH athletes - U13 boys Gold - Ray Taylor and Hamish Hunter, U15 boys Gold - Luke Culliton, U15 Silver - Lois Cant and Senior Women Gold - Freya Ross.

The National Championships Indoor events held over January and February at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow saw a number of successes for the Harriers, including: In the U13s, Luke Sedman - Gold 800m and 1500m. U15’s - Ray Taylor – Bronze 1500m (4:36:27), Luke Culliton – Gold 800m (2:02:97), Victoria Anestik - Gold Girls Pentathlon and 60m hurdles Bronze (9.42).

In the U17’s – Euan Cunningham - Gold 60m (7.20s), Harry McPhee - Silver 400m (51.29) and fourth long jump (5.51m), Abbi MacLeod fourth 800m (2:18:51), Caitlin Christie - Gold 1500m (4:49:27), Victoria Anestik fourth long jump (5.20m) and high jump (1:38m), U20 – Samuel Kane - Gold long jump (6.69m), U20 – Abbi MacLeod - Gold 800m (2:14:14), Senior Women – Olivia Vareille - Silver 800m (2:10:11) and Bronze 400m (58.20), Senior Men – Kane Elliott - Gold 800m (1:50:87), Masters Women – Fiona Matheson - Silver (10:56:89) 3000m.

Fiona then went on to beat this record. Also in February, Fiona Matheson won silver for her 1500m run in a time of 5:09:58 in the Masters Relay Championship event and Fiona Brown, Gold for her 9.98m shot putt.

Fiona then went on to beat her previous P.B in 3000m at the Southern Counties Championships in April, in a time of 10:48:13, a new world record.

Grangemouth Stadium was the venue for the East District Championships in May which saw in the U13 age group, Skye Robertson take silver 800m (2:23:35), Emily Christie - silver 1500m (5:02:12), Josie Anderson – Silver 200m (30.53), Aine McAtarsney – Bronze High Jump 1.21m.

In the U15s Isabella Ogg - Silver 1500m (4:55:78), Hannah McLeod - Bronze 800m (2:20:03), Luke Culliton 800m (2:02:48), Cahal McAtarsney - Silver High Jump 1.32m, Hamish Lamont - Bronze Javelin 19.09m U17s Emily Fawkes - Bronze 300m (44.54), Abbi MacLeod - Bronze 800m (2:18:25), Caitlin Christie – Gold 1500m (4:44:19), Euan Cunningham - Gold 100m (11.11), Andrew McKechnie - Gold 400m (58.00) Selina Henderson - Gold for the Senior Womens long jump (5.48m) and Grant Plenderleith - Gold for the Senior mens 100m (10.84).

Grangemouth Stadium also hosted the Scottish Athletics U13/U15 and U20 Championships in August. In the U13 category, Emily Christie - Bronze 1500m (5:05:46), U15 section, Victoria Anestik - silver 75m hurdles (11:54), silver long jump (5.42m) and bronze shot putt (11.16m). U20s Paige Steven – silver shot putt (13.10m), Harry McPhee - bronze 400m (50.28), Andrew McKechnie - Silver 400m hurdles (58.01), a great result for Andrew who just started in this discipline this year, Sam Kane – Gold Long Jump – a personal best for Sam at 7.04m.

Euan Cunningham also won Silver for U17 100m in the Scottish National Championships in Aberdeen and Silver in the U17 English National Championships in Bedford in August.

In September the National Track Relay Championship races were held, again at Grangemouth Stadium and saw the U15 boys 3x800m team consisting of Ray Taylor, Luke Culliton and Hamish Hunter take Gold and also produce a new Scottish Record. In the Senior mens category, the 4 x400m team of Harry McPhee, Ben Charles Sutherland, Ben Grant and Kane Elliott took Bronze for their time of 3:23:52 and the 3x800m team consisting of Euan Wond, Ben Charles Sutherland and Kane Elliott took Gold (5:54:16).

Lorna Brown W50 category took 1 st place for her shot putt throw of 9.82m and 3 rd place for her 26.50m discus throw at the Autumn Throw Grand Prix at Grangemouth Stadium in October.

Husband and wife team Fiona and Grant Matheson, have also represented Scotland Veterans at the recent British and Irish Cross Country Masters Championships in Dublin, with Fiona coming first place in her category. She has also broken World, European and British records this year.

In addition to the events listed above, many athletes have also taken part in Scottish Schools championship events, including, Luke Culliton - Gold 800m, silver 1500m and Silver Cross Country, Aimee Calder - Silver high jump, Ray Taylor - Silver 800m, Gold U15 boys road race and 4 th Cross Country, Caitlin Christie - Bronze 1500m and 4 th 800m, Sam Kane - Gold Long Jump.

Andrew McKechnie, Harry McPhee and Euan Cunningham represented Scotland in the Schools International Athletic Board Competition in Belfast with Andrew coming 5 th 400m, Harry took Silver 400m and the 4 x 400m relay and Euan Silver 100m and 4 th in 200m. Euan is also part of the National U20’s 4x100m National Relay Team. Luke Culliton won Silver 800m at the English Indoor Championships.

Cross Country

In February, the Masters Cross Country Championships were held in Aberdeen and club stalwart Fiona Matheson took gold for her 6000m run in a time of 25:15.

Callander Park was the venue for the National Cross Country Championships, the final of the cross country events for winter 2021-2022 season.

Ray Taylor (under-13) took individual bronze, while there was under-13 Team silver medals for Ray Taylor, Hamish Hunter, Cahal McAtarsney and Luke Sedman.

The under-15 girls team of Charlotte Horne, Lois Cant, Isabella Ogg and Chloe Davies took bronze and it was bronze for the under-17 team, Abbi MacLeod, Erin Hendry and Caitlin Christie. Cross Country 2022-2023 season then recommenced in October, the first event being the Relay Championships, held at Mossilee Farm in Galashiels.

This gruelling course saw fantastic results for the young Vics with three girls teams and two boys teams making the top ten. Team gold medals were won by Emily Christie, Isabella Ogg and Caitlin Christie while the boys team of Josh Taylor, Ray Taylor and Luke Culliton also took team gold.

Hawick Moor was the location for the first of the East District league races, again with great results for the teams. These were: third place, under-11 girls team (Kirsty Moffat, Erin Donaldson, Niamh Flaherty), first place, under-13 girls team (Skye Robertson, Emily Christie, Josie Anderson), second place, under-15 girls (Isabella Ogg, Charlotte Horne, Lois Cant), third place, senior women team (Olivia Vareille, Fiona Matheson, Erin Hendry, Eilidh McCallum) and the veteran women’s team finished in second place (Fiona Matheson and Lizzie Faulks).

The National Cross Country Relay Championships which were held at Cumbernauld House saw a record number of 562 teams entered.

The under-15 teams narrowly missed out on podium places, coming fourth for the girls (Emily Christie, Isabella Ogg and Caitlin Christie) and fourth for the boys (Josh Taylor, Ray Taylor and Luke Culliton).

The National Short Course Championships, held at Kirkcaldy in November, resulted in fifth place for under-15 Isabella Ogg and team gold and National Champions for under-15 girls (Isabella Ogg, Lois Cant and Hannah MacLeod).

Luke Culliton grabbed silver for the under-15 boys and bronzes for the under-17 girls team came for Charlotte Horne, Caitlin Christie and Piper Smith.

Two weeks later, the runners were at the East District League races at Camperdown Country Park in Dundee for the second of the league races.

In the under-13 categories, Luke Sedman came second as did Skye Robertson, third placed also was Emily Christie. In the under-15s Ray Taylor placed first.

It was also a great result for the teams, with under-13 girls taking first place (Skye Robertson, Emily Christie, Josie Anderson) also the boys under-15s finished second (Luke Sedman, Josh Taylor, Ben Upfold) and under-15 girls came second (Isabella Ogg, Charlotte Horne, Lois Cant).

The East District Cross Country Championships in December, held in the stunning grounds of Stirling University, had favourable weather this year. It was also a hugely successful day for the Harriers, winning a clean sweep of golds across the boys and girls races and a silver in the boys.

Isabella Ogg won the under-15 girls and Luke Culliton won the under-15 boys – becoming the East District Champions. Luke Sedman - silver (under-15 boys) and Ray Taylor - silver (under-15 boys). For the teams, gold was also won by the under-15 girls (Lois Cant, Hannah MacLeod, Isabella Ogg) and under-15 boys (Luke Culliton, Callum Hendry, Ray Taylor).

Meanwhile, the under-13 girls grabbed bronze (Josie Anderson, Emily Christie, Skye Robertson) as did the under-13 boys (Thomas Mitchell, Luke Sedman, Ray Taylor).

A mention must also be given to Scott Stirling in the Masters category, who finished an impressive seventh place in a course of 270 runners.

The cross country season continues this weekend with the last of the East District league events, this time in Bathgate, with soon after the Inter-District Championship event at Scone Palace in Perth too.

A number of the Falkirk Vics’ will represent Scotland later on this year. It’s been a year of medals, records and national champions for the club across all age groups.

Thanks to Kathleen Anderson-Ogg for supplying this 2022 Falkirk Vics review.