Success for Fleming brothers in excellent home sports at Kelso

Not only did four Kelso sprinters reach the final of the event – a great achievement in itself – they also notched the first three places from a field of nine.

And it was Matthew Fleming who wrote himself a happy ending to the tale, by winning the event in 10.37 seconds – after the judges checked the camera.

Connor Gillan came in second and Matthew’s brother John Fleming third – a clean sweep for Kelso as well as the Adie Gray running school.

A delighted Fleming said of his triumph: “My brother John won the Kelso sprint in 2001 and 2002, so it’s just great to have won the same cup as him.

“The final was very close, but I felt myself hitting the tape and thought I had just managed to win it.

“Apart from being thrilled to have won on my home track, I am very happy for my coach Adie Gray.

He had the first three in the final and you can’t ask for any better than that.”

Angus Bryce, a half cousin of the Fleming brothers, hoisted the winning flag for the family, in pulling off a splendid hat-trick of wins – in the youth’s (confined) 100m handicap, the Youth A 100m open and the Youth 200m handicap.

Hawick’s Jordan Taylor (125m) lifted the biggest prize money of the day, pulling out the stops to emerge the winner of the 1,600m handicap.

Showing purpose in every stride from the gun, Taylor took the lead with two laps to go. And from here on the Alex Corbett-trained runner never looked back, winning in 4.28.08. Bruce Hughes of Hawick (100m) was second and John Thomson of Glenrothes (165m) third.

Taylor said, “I was expecting a hard race and I got one. The best part of it was when I finished. I have never won anything as big as this before so I am delighted.”

Kyle Potts (22m) also put victory Hawick’s way, pulling out the stops to do the business in the 200m handicap.

Following a fine win in his heat, Potts found himself facing top opposition in the final, but he produced a rip-roaring finish down the home straight to overhaul leaders Geoff Keen of Selkirk (23m) and David Lauder of Hawick (24m) to gain a victory in 21.90.

There was joy for Isla Taylor of Chirnside (415m), who notched up her first win on the games circuit when breaking the tape in the youth’s 1,600m handicap in 4.50.56.

In the 800m handicap, Kobe Stevens of Moorfoot AC (50m) ran a well-judged race to win from Hawick’s Rory Anderson (50m) and Paul Bellingham (155m) in 1 minute 56.03 seconds.

Kelso youngster Josh Abbot (80m) gave a splendid account of himself in winning the Youth 800m handicap in 2.02.44.

Nine-year-old Matthew Beaton of TLJT (26m) excelled in winning the junior 100m handicap.

And Tom Fowler of Hawick (34m) was the victor of the junior 200m handicap.