Runner-up spots for Borderers Rory Smith, Matthew Fleming and Dima Graham in Grangemouth new year sprint meeting’s undercard

Tweed Leader Jed Track's Iskan Barskanmay on the run at Saturday's new year sprint meeting at Grangemouth (Pic: Alan Murray)

The 110m handicap main event’s supporting bill was made up of nine races over distances ranging from 90m to 1,500m and Tweed Leader Jed Track Athletic Club’s Dima Graham, Innerleithen’s Rory Smith and Kelso’s Matthew Fleming just missed out on first-place finishes in two of them.

Graham was runner-up in the 800m open handicap, clocking 1:51.94 from a mark of 70m, less than three seconds behind the time of 1:49.51, from 120m, recorded by winner Colin Brodie, of Edinburgh’s Harmeny Athletic Club.

Kelso’s Paul Dumma also made the top five of the ten finalists contesting that race, finishing fourth in 1:55.21, from a 120m mark.

Smith got closer still to victory, missing out by a fraction of a second in the 90m youth handicap. His time was ten seconds spot on from a 10m mark, with victory going to Daniel Bruce, of Glasgow’s Kilbarchan Amateur Atrhletic Club, after he clocked 9.92 seconds from a 7m mark.

Innerleithen’s Dean Whiteford and Kelso’s Matthew Fleming were also entered for the 800m open but didn’t start.

TLJT’s Robyn Lees, Teviotdale Harriers’ Aoiffion McVittie-Brangan and Kelso’s Lewis Fleming and Erin Jackson made it to the 90m youth race’s semi-finals but didn’t qualify, clocking 10.34, 10.34, 10.49 and 10.53 respectively.

Kelso’s Reece Jackson, Daniel Lawson and Cam Scott; TLJT’s Tess Renwick, Isla Woodburn and Freddie Wilson; Jedburgh’s Charlie Whitecross and Scott Turnbull; and Hawick’s Oliver McCraw were knocked out in the heats.

Their times were 10.74, 10.77, 11.32, 10.78, 10.98, 11.20, 11.05, 11.07 and 10.87.

Matthew Fleming’s time of 3:51.22, from a 280m mark, saw him finish second to Law’s Allan Neill in the 1,500m open handicap’s final, with Dumma eighth in 4:10.90 and Teviotdale’s Andrew Gibson tenth in 4:11.89.

Among the Borders’ other undercard finalists were Kelso’s Fraser Neil and Leo Tait. They finished fifth in the 200m open handicap in 22.55 seconds, from a 15m mark, and ninth in the 800m youth handicap with a time of 2:03.27, from 145m, respectively.

Selkirk’s Geoff Keen, TLJT’s Iskan Barskanmay and Kelso’s Ruby Laing missed out on qualification for the final of the 200m open, finishing respectively third in 24.65, fourth in 23.01 and sixth in 23.58 in their heats.

TLJT’s Rojin Barskanmay, Aaron Glendinning, Gordon Armstrong and Evie Renwick; Selkirk’s Craig and Colin Bruce; Hawick’s Ryan McMichan and David Lauder; and Kelso’s John Fleming also had entries for that race but didn’t start.

Kelso’s Archie Scott and Rory, Harry and Matty Fleming contested the 800m youth handicap too, clocking 2:05.15, 2:12.52, 2:14.11 and 2:12.19 in its heats.

Ruby Laing and Evie Renwick were among 13 runners lining up in the ladies’ 90m open handicap heats, finishing ninth in 11.61 and tenth in 11.65.

Souter Keen and Gala Harriers’ Ron Sutherland were among a dozen runners in the masters’ 90m open handicap’s heats, finishing eighth in 10.99 and 11th in 11.50.