Win on home territory a racing certainty for Borders wheelchair athlete Samantha Kinghorn

The event was making its return after a three-year Covid-19 pandemic-enforced absence, and within minutes of crossing the line to claim her fourth title, Kinghorn, from Gordon, pledged to work with event organiser Graham Cook and the Scottish Borders Disability Sport Group to raise the profile of an event she hailed as the fastest in Britain.

“This race is always something for me to look forward to, coming back to Scotland racing in front of my supporters,” said the 26-year-old, a Commonwealth Games medallist.

“I drove Hannah Cockroft round the course yesterday and she commented on how beautiful the area is, and while I don’t live here anymore sadly, it is such a beautiful place to live and to race.

“It’s probably the fastest 10K race in Britain and doesn’t get the publicity it deserves, so it’s my aim for the next few years to get more and more people of all ages and levels to come to the Borders and take part.

“There are so many places in Scotland where we have not yet broken down barriers to allow people with disabilities to take part in sport, but nobody needs to be an elite sportsperson. Sport is incredibly important for the mind and body and just getting out and meeting people.

“That’s why I started. When I had my accident, I felt very alone and didn’t know anyone in my situation.

“I started wheelchair racing because I wanted to get fit and meet people who understood what I was going through.

“Those are the real-life benefits of events like this and I want to help others to have the opportunities I’ve had.”

Kinghorn was up against a field of world-leading racers at the event, named after late disability sports coach Renilson and sponsored by Edinburgh-based Randolph Hill Nursing Homes, including GB team-mates and Paralympics and Commonwealth Games stars Cockroft, Sean Frame, Nathan Maguire and Ben Rowlings.

They were joined by a news convert to wheelchair racing, Joanna Robertson, from Ellon, winner of the top performer trophy after slashing her personal best time to finish as third woman.

Frame, from Lockerbie, was the overall winner in a new PB of 20.32 – just seven seconds off the course record – with Kinghorn finishing third overall, splitting Maguire and Rowlands, and ending up first female, in 23 minutes flat.

Seven-times Paralympian champion Cockroft, from west Yorkshire, claimed a 10k PB of 24.47.

“I’ve been racing for 16 years and for 16 years I’ve had people telling me I had to do this Scottish race,” she said. “I wish I’d come up sooner because it’s such a great event. You’re made so welcome, there’s so many people along the route and such a great line-up of racers and handcyclists, and it’s such an honour to race Sammi in her home area.

“We line up against each other all over the world and we are good friends, and it’s really important for me to support her in Scotland because that’s what’s going to make this sport grow and make everyone realise just how fantastic an athlete Sammi Kinghorn is.

“We’ll have a break now and then we’ll be out to Dubai for training and racing before we have the world championships next year in Paris – and then we’ll see you back here next year.”

The handcycle race was won, in 17.39 minutes, by Ken Talbot, the Edinburgh-based holder of the world land speed record for handcycling after reaching 51mph in the Nevada desert in 2018.

He pipped Alistair Corps-Bell, from Carlisle, with Edinburgh’s Mike Thomas third, followed by Stuart McMillan, Jason Gill and Ayr Seaforth’s Nicola Russell.

There was also a surprise world-class talent among the support cyclists and volunteers as pro cyclist Oscar Onley joined his former Kelso Wheelers clubmates supporting the competitors and keeping them on track.

Onley’s career has taken off with the Dutch Team DSM, the 20-year-old starring in the recent Tour of Britain before finishing third last month in the CRO race in Croatia, just ten seconds behind reigning Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard.

He said: “I was home this week and was delighted to get the chance to come out with the guys at Kelso Wheelers who got me started when I was a 10-year-old doing cafe runs on a Sunday. It’s really inspiring seeing these guys racing wheelchairs and handcycles. It’s a lot harder than riding my bike, especially into that headwind, and they go pretty quick on the downhills, so I’m full of admiration for them. It’s been an honour to be part of the event.”