Inverclyde Now Logo ATHLETICS — National Success For Inverclyde AC Relay Team

17 July, 2018 | Local

From right, Mark Holliman, Scott Hannaway, Scott McCluckie and Mark McLachlan

IT was another successful podium-place finish for local club Inverclyde AC when the senior sprint relay 4×400-metre team won silver at the Scottish Athletics National Relay Championships in Grangemouth.

The team, who built on the success of last year’s bronze medal finish, consisted of Scott McCluckie, Scott Hannaway, Mark McLachlan and Mark Holliman and all produced excellent individual 400-metre splits to finish the race in a time of 3:24.50, just short of the current club record (3:22.50).

On the opening leg, McCluckie kept in close contention with the leading Falkirk Victoria Harriers athlete and confidently handed the baton over to the second leg and youngest team member, Hannaway, who blasted round the top bend with confidence and speed further closing the gap on the contesting Falkirk team.

With another secure handover in place, third leg athlete Mark McLachlan ensured the Inverclyde team were able to stick to their race plan, maintaining lead place contention.

In the final leg, Mark Holliman produced an outstanding sub-50-second run to bring the team home in silver medal position, no mean feat as Mark was also up against the formidable speed of the current number-one-ranked Scottish Senior 400-metre athlete Grant Plenderleith.

With the talent, hard work and dedication that is on show from the athletes week in, week out, it is clear there is more potential to come from this current IAC senior sprint team and it’s highly likely that the club record will soon be broken (something that the team coach, Kenny Morrison looks forward to, even though he was himself part of the current record-holding team).

The team acknowledge the support of Craig and Theresa Muir who have assisted them in their development to competing in this event at national level.

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