Hawick’s Rory Anderson a winner at double at 2025’s Earlston Border Games

The Teviotdale Harriers senior won both 800m and 1,600m opens at the town’s Runciman Park at the weekend, clocking 2:00.52 from a mark of 40m for the former and 4:43.10 from 15m for the latter.

Tweed Leader Jed Track’s Kevin Wood was runner-up over 800m, from a 155m mark, with County Durham’s Jason Catterall third, from 135m.

The two other podium places for the longer race went to father and son Matthew and Matty Fleming, of Kelso’s AG Running School, the former taking third place and the latter second, from respective marks of 215m and 160m.

Victory in the day’s 90m open went to another Hawick runner, Daniel Paxton, in 9.92 seconds, from a mark of 12.5m.

Kelso’s Douglas Young was second, from 1.5m, and Edinburgh’s Graeme Armstrong third, from 19m.

Selkirk’s Colin Bruce won the 400m open in 51.35 seconds, from a mark of 71m.

Edinburgh’s Angus Johnstone was runner-up and Hawick’s Kyle Potts third, both from 27m.

Johnstone went one better in the 200m open, winning in 22.04 seconds, from the same mark, with Hawick’s Jack Wilson second, from 23m, and Lasswade’s Gregor Knight third, from 19m.

A 90m race for veterans was won by Lasswade’s Keith Kong in 10.04 seconds, from a mark of 13.5m, with TLJT’s Iskan Barskanmay second, from 7m, and Rosyth’s Jack Beattie third, from 16.5m.

Hawick’s Struan Linton and Gala Harriers’ Rachel Grant won two each of four youth races run on the day.

Linton finished first over 800m and 1,600m, also earning the Julie Goodfellow Trophy for best performance of the day.

His winning times were 1:58.95 over 800m and 4:43.15 over twice that distance, from marks of 210m and 320m respectively.

Eyemouth’s Tom Sangster was second in the shorter race, from a mark of 125m, with Teviotdale Harriers’ Freya Michie third, from 240m.

Greg Watson was runner-up over 1,600m, from 160m, with his brother Craig third, from 120m.

Grant’s wins were over 90m in 9.81 seconds and 200m in 22.70, from marks of 20m and 39m respectively.

Kelso’s Iona Douglas was runner-up in the sprint, from 31m, with Jedburgh’s Robyn Cook third, from 26m.

Cook was second over 200m, from 54m, and Hawick’s Lily Hislop was third, from 64m.

Round two of this summer’s games takes place at Hawick this coming Sunday.

Rounds three and four follow at Selkirk and Kelso on Saturday, June 14, and Sunday, June 29, respectively.

July brings three further rounds – at Jedburgh on Saturday the 12th, Innerleithen on Saturday the 19th and Langholm on Friday the 25th – and Morebattle’s games wrap proceedings up on Saturday, August 9.

Two of Saturday’s winners at Earlston went on to notch up further victories at Fife’s Markinch Highland Games on Sunday.

Anderson was first in the 1,600m open there in 4:31.49, from 110m, also placing second to Cambuslang’s Rory Muir over 800m, from 70m, with Hawick’s Greg Walker third in the half-miler, from 125m.

Walker contested the 3,200m open too, placing second to Muir, from 310m.

Sunday’s other senior success story for the Borders was Bruce in the 200m open, winning in 21.62 seconds from a mark of 54m, with Peebles’ Samantha Turnbull second, from 39m.

Turnbull’s twin sister Natasha was third in the 400m open, from 75m, with Glasgow’s Callum Letham winning in 51.61 seconds, from 20m.

Fellow Borderer Erin Jackson, representing the late Adie Gray’s running school, also racked up a win on the road, in the youths’ 90m race in 11.40 seconds, from a mark of 12.5m, with clubmate Reece Jackson third in that one, from 17.5m, and second over 400m, from 95m. Craig Watson was third over 400m, from 42m.