Gala Harriers win national award for making impact
Expanding east into Berwickshire helped earn a Borders running club an accolade at this year’s Scottish Athletics awards dinner, held in Glasgow on Saturday.
Gala Harriers were named as impact club of the year, beating Aberdeen Amateur Athletic Club and Linlithgow Athletic Club, in recognition of that outreach operation, as well as their commitment to inclusion, coaching development, community engagement and mental health awareness.
Their expansion east this year – in the form of holding running, jumping and throwing sessions at Berwickshire High Schools in Duns for youths aged upwards on Wednesday evenings in addition to their ongoing activities in Galashiels and Tweedbank – has seen their junior membership hit an all-time high of 246, taking their total number to 352.
That wasn’t the only prize to go the club’s way on Saturday either as Isla Paterson was presented with this year’s Martin Hyman Junior Hill-Running Award in recognition of her performances at home and overseas representing Gala and Scotland and Neil Renton was made an honorary life member for his efforts as an athlete, coach and photographer.
Edinburgh middle-distance runner Jake Wightman was named as athlete of the year and the para version of that accolade went to Glasgow’s Melanie Woods.
Accolades for masters, under-20 and under-17 athlete of the year were handed out to Robert McHarg, Oliver Patton and Holly Whittaker respectively
Rodger Harkins, James McMenemy, Graham Reid and Ross Cairns won awards for coaching.
British former Olympic, world and commonwealth 400m champions Christine Ohuruogu was guest of honour.