Innerleithen 12-year-old goes for gold at double at Scottish age-grade athletics championships

Innerleithen's Robert Horton winning a gold medal for under-13 long jump in Glasgow at the weekend (Photo: Bobby Gavin/Scottish Athletics)

A Christmas present of a set of hurdles has yielded a gift of its own for Innerleithen’s Robert Horton – Scotland’s under-13 boys’ title for the sport over 60m.

The 12-year-old, a member of the Moorfoot Runners group, claimed victory in that class at Scottish Athletics’ indoor under-13 championships at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena on Sunday.

Robert only started elementary training in the sport with Peebles coach Linda Nicholson in the autumn but he was so taken with it that he put a set of hurdles at the top of his Christmas list, and now, two months on, his choice of present paid off at his first-ever hurdles race.

His winning time of 9.72 seconds, more than a second in front of runner-up Michael Massey, of Pitreavie, places him fourth in the Scottish all-time list for his age at the event and second in this year’s UK rankings.

Borderer Robert Horton competing at 60m hurdles at Glasgow (Photo: Bobby Gavin/Scottish Athletics)

That wasn’t his only gold medal at the weekend either as he came up with a personal best at long jump of 4m 84cm to finish first in that event too and also take him to the top of the UK rankings for his age, beating Irish runner-up Sean Fenton’s 4.60 and third-placed Helensburgh entrant Ethan Fullerton’s 4.47.

The youngster said: “It was exciting to be back at the national indoor championships after I got a bronze in the long jump last year.

“All the hard work, especially over the winter, has really paid off to get two golds. I’m really pleased.

“Now I’m thinking about the outdoor season and wanting to do well in that.”

Robert Horton with his two athletics gold medals at Glasgow

Another Borders success story in Glasgow was written by Peebles jumper Louis Whyte.

Stepping up to under-20 level on Saturday, the 16-year-old punched above his weight to win a silver medal in the men’s triple jump with 12.83m, losing out only to a visiting guest jumper from Qatar, Anas Fadeel, with 14.91m, and he also picked up a bronze in the men’s long jump on Sunday with a distance of 6.40m.

He said: “I am very happy with my indoor performances. Going up against tougher competition always helps me to perform at my best.

“I am looking forward to competing in the outdoor season.”

Louis Whyte, of Peebles, in action at Glasgow at the weekend (Photo: Bobby Gavin/Scottish Athletics)

Fellow Borderer Amy Chapman was also competing in Glasgow in Saturday and the 14-year-old came up trumps in her first Scottish under-15 championship 60m, recording a PB of 8.87 in her semi-final to finish 21st, with Tweed Leader Jed Track’s Tess Renwick 14th on 8.63.