Hawick Games: Tindle wins sprint race

Hawick Border Games began in heavy rain and ended in bright sunshine but the contrasting elements were all one and the same for Berwick teenager Scott Tindle.
3 Kai Lennie 2 Shellee Fojick 1 Callum Shiel in the second heat of the 13-16year 90m Handicap (picture: Bill McBurnie)3 Kai Lennie 2 Shellee Fojick 1 Callum Shiel in the second heat of the 13-16year 90m Handicap (picture: Bill McBurnie)
3 Kai Lennie 2 Shellee Fojick 1 Callum Shiel in the second heat of the 13-16year 90m Handicap (picture: Bill McBurnie)

For should the rain be falling or the sun be out, Tindle beat anything the weather had to offer as well as the opposition in winning the main event on the programme, the 110 metres handicap which had a first prize of £1000.

Scott Tindle won the 110m Sprint final sponsored by The Waverley Bar, presented by Ian Hope (picture: Bill McBurnie)Scott Tindle won the 110m Sprint final sponsored by The Waverley Bar, presented by Ian Hope (picture: Bill McBurnie)
Scott Tindle won the 110m Sprint final sponsored by The Waverley Bar, presented by Ian Hope (picture: Bill McBurnie)

In doing so Tindle lived up to his word, as eight days previous after coming in third in the final of the Earlston Games 90 metres handicap, the 17-year-old had told yours truly that he felt a win was coming his way. And it sure did.

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Following heat and cross tie victories in times of 12.09 seconds and 12.03 seconds respectively, Tindle (10.5m) found himself in the final of the event. Coached by Bruce Scott, Tindle was up against Ben Lyall of Kelso (12.5m), Brodie Cowan of Jed AC (23.5m), Rianna Sterricks of Lasswade (20.5m), Corey Wilson of Hawick (12.5m) and North East of England hope Sean O’Hara of Morpeth (7m).

Having stormed home in very fast times in his two opening runs, Lyall was the betting favourite. However, in a last outing which was to bring about a dramatic ending, there was a turn up for the books.

Lyall, who had looked as though he could have been heading for a win, tightened up in the closing stages and it was Tindle who soared through the tape in 11.85 seconds. Although taking a tumble down onto the track on the line, Lyall came in second with Cowan emerging third.

Reflecting on his fine win, Tindle the younger brother of the highly established Cameron said: “Ben Lyall was my concern so I had to go all out to try to catch him and this worked out. I was in the final of the Oxton Games sprint last season as well as the final of the Earlston Games sprint last week, but this is the first time I have won a final. It’s my first sprint win as well as although I won races when I ran as a youth they were in distance events”.

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Second placed Lyall said: “I thought I was getting there but tied up just at the finish”.

Women ruled the roost in the senior 800 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres handicaps. Following a thrilling duel over the same distance at Earlston Games, TLJT pair Danielle Lockie (170m), Emma Brus (170m) crossed swords again in the half mile.

Lockie had gained a win in the first outing with Brus coming in the closest of seconds in a photo finish ending. This time around, however, it was in reverse order with Brus emerging the victor. Veteran David Priestly of St Boswells (195m) was third. The winning time was 2 minutes 01.33 seconds.

Danielle Lockie (94m) got into the winning frame though in the 400 metres handicap. Showing up well from the gun Lockie produced the goods to race home in 49.50 seconds. Natasha Turnbull (41m) made it a hat-trick for the ladies as well as TLJT when doing the business in the 200 metres handicap.

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After winning her heat in 23.23 seconds, Turnbull won the final in 22.86 seconds. Langholm’s Ryan Milligan (55m) emerged a convincing winner of the 1600 metres handicap, while Douglas Young of Kelso (3.5m) took the honours in the 100 metres invitation handicap.

For the second week in succession the youth racing conjured up some keenly contested exciting running. None more so than in the 400 metres handicap. Ten year old Jason White of TLJT (68m) led a big field coming down the home straight.

In the latter stages he was overtaken by Stefan Nightingale of Leithenburn (43m) and it looked like race all over. Pocket rocket White had other ideas though and showing great heart and character came battling back to regain his lead to win in 56.13 seconds. Nightingale was second. This was White’s third win in two days as he had chalked up a couple of victories the previous day at Kirkcaldy Beach Games.