​Borderer Henry Clarkson retains Scottish triple-jump title

​The 25-year-old, previously of Kelso and Selkirk but based in Peebles these days, hopped, stepped and jumped his way to a distance of 15m and 93cm at the weekend.

That’s the third best outdoor triple jump recorded in the UK so far this year and an improvement of more than half a metre on the effort of 15m 36cm that saw him secure his Scottish title a year ago, also at Grangemouth Stadium.

Clarkson only returned to the sport last summer after taking a year out but he is now setting his sights on breaking Scottish triple-jump records at the double.

The records he’s hoping to better were both set by Aberdeen-born but Australian-based John Mackenzie three decades ago – 16m 17cm for outdoors in Bedfordshire in September 1994 and 16m 13cm for indoors in Birmingham in January of that same year.

He’s also targeting a place at 2026’s Commonwealth Games, looking likely to be held on home turf in Glasgow for the second time in the space of 12 years following the Australian state of Victoria pulling out of hosting them, as planned.

Clarkson’s coach since the age of 12, Peebles-based Linda Nicholson, believes he’s on the right track to set a new record after his showing at Grangemouth, saying: “His performance at the weekend was a well-earned reward for a year of dedication and careful management through the highs and lows of athletics training at this level.

“We have had to travel outwith Scotland for all Henry’s competitions this season to get him the level of competition he needs, but it was fantastic to see what he could produce on his own doorstep at the Scottish championships on Saturday.

“We have our sights firmly on the Scottish indoor and outdoor records, which have stood for decades.

“He is the only top Scottish triple-jumper currently training in Scotland – the others are training and competing in the US – so to deliver the best jump of any Scot in 2024 is staggering.”

Clarkson has also competed at long jump, high jump and 60m, 100m and 200m races prior to deciding to focus on triple jump.