Four top-five finishes for Borderers at 2026’s Scottish Schools Athletics Association road-race championships

Hawick’s Struan Linton won the second of the day’s 13 races at Dunfermline's Pittencrieff Park, over 1,600m for boys in P6.

The Stirches Primary School pupil clocked a time of 6:42 to finish at the front of a field of 108, with Melrose Primary’s Thomas Graham second in 6:47.

Earlston High’s Rowan Johnston was eighth of 142 entrants for race five, over 2,400m for over-13 girls, in 8:38.

Johnston’s schoolmate Molly Trewartha was sixth in race ten’s field of 157 in 10:17, that one, over 3,200m, being for girls born between March 2010 and February 2012.

Race 13, the last of the day, over 4,800m for boys aged 16-plus, was far from unlucky for the Borderers taking part, with three managing top-five placings among an entry of 87.

Kelso High’s Oliver Hastie was second in 14:03, just two seconds off pole position, with Earlston High’s Seb Darlow third in 14:04 and Peebles High’s Jack Foley fourth in 14:07. Hawick High’s Alfie Walker wasn’t far behind either, making it home 12th in 14:40, one place behind Gala Harriers’ Gregor Adamson, representing Edinburgh’s Merchiston Castle School, in 14:36.

Runners from the region also managed a further six top-20 placings at this autumn’s meeting, held on Wednesday, October 7, but with results not following until last week – Melrose Primary’s Emily Cranston finishing 14th in race three, over 1,600m for P7 girls, in 7:46; her schoolmate Ewan McCarthy ending up 20th in the one after, for P7 boys over the same distance, in 6:59; Hawick High’s Connor Davidson crossing the finishing line 15th in 7:51 in race six, over 2,400m for boys aged 13-plus; Galashiels Academy’s Freya Ainslie clocking 8:31 to finish 20th in race seven, over 2,400m for girls of 14-plus; Hawick High’s Alfey McKenzie managing 7:37 for 18th place in race eight, over the same distance for boys of the same age; and Peebles High’s Isabella Moran, 20th in 11:08 in race 12, over 3,200m for girls over 16.

Hastie and Darlow’s individual medals in race 13 were accompanied by the region’s only team medal, for Peebles High – earned by Foley’s fourth-placed finish backed up by Rory Pretswell finishing 30th in 15:36, Lewis Riddell 35th in 15:46 and Callum Peebles 41st in 16:02.