Athletics: Cameron Tindle breaks Scottish record

Last weekend he and his coaches Henry Gray (Eyemouth) and Bruce Scott (TLJT/Earlston) took the train to Sheffield to compete in the England age group championships. This is regarded as the British championships as the best sprinters from throughout the UK compete.

With the final itself including three World Youth finalists and two Commonwealth Youth Games medallist’s with four of the five finalists being part of the British junior men’s relay squad, it was clear that Tindle had to pull off the race of his life if he had any claim to a podium place.

The 17-year-old former New Year Sprint winner was unfortunate not to get one of the three seeded lanes, although he had produced the second fastest time in the semis, in a thrilling encounter with Toby Harries. He lined up in lane three which was just on the tight side.

Tindle exploded from the blocks and pulled back the stagger on his two main rivals by the time he was half way round the second bend and coming into the final straight he had hit the front. Harries (lane 5) started his downhill decent as he came off the banked corner and caught Tindle in the last 10m, winning in a time of 21.26 seconds with Oliver Bromby, the 60m winner, catching him in the last few strides to take silver.

Tindle was delighted with his bronze in the knowledge that he had broken the Scottish junior indoor 200m record, in a time of 21.46, held for the last 19 years by Berwickshire’s Ian Horsbugh who, remarkably, was trained by Henry Gray’s father.

Tindle will now set his sights on the British senior mens’ indoor championships at the same venue in two weeks having benefitted from the three top drawer races at the weekend. He currently lies fourth in the Scottish senior all time list and a better lane draw may well bring the current record of 21.25 within his grasp.