Heats drawn for new year sprint to be contested by 16 Borderers
Heats have been drawn for 2026’s new year sprint at Grangemouth Stadium and five out of nine of them will pit some of the Borderers taking part against each other.
The biggest regional representation in the 110m sprint’s heats is three and that applies to three of those being contested on Sunday, January 4, by a field of 55.
Heat one’s six runners include Hawick’s Ryan McMichan, winner of 2024’s sprint in 11.35 seconds, from a mark of 8.5m. Given a 5.75m mark this time round, he’ll be up against fellow Hawick runner and past winner David Lauder, first past the post in 2003 at Musselburgh, and Tweed Leader Jed Track’s Danny Allison, going from 18.5m and 11.75m respectively.
Heat six’s half-dozen-strong field includes TLJT’s Tess Renwick, Jedburgh’s Zoe Blair and Hawick’s John Paxton, given respective marks of 18m, 23.5m and 24m.
Heat nine is the other one with three Borderers in, namely TLJT’s Iskan Barskanmay, Hawick’s Daniel Paxton, 2010’s winner at Musselburgh, and Selkirk’s Geoff Keen, handicapped at 10.5m, 16m and 22.5m.
Two heats will see two representatives of the region competing against each other. Jedburgh’s Scott Elliot and Selkirk’s Colin Bruce are in heat five and Kelso’s Douglas Young and John Fleming are in heat seven, going from 20.25m, 21.5m, 3.25m and 13.25m.
Also among the 16 Borderers taking part is Selkirk’s Craig Bruce, winner of this year’s 156th edition at Grangemouth in 11.74 seconds, from a mark of 10m, and he’s handicapped at 7m this time round.
He’s the only runner from the region in his heat and the same goes for TLJT’s Findlay Boak and Evie Renwick, allocated marks of 8m and 16m.