EK athletes bring home medals from International Children's Games

Jul 1 2009 by Paul Thomson, East Kilbride News

EAST Kilbride athletes were on top form at the weekend as Emma Brown and Rachel Whittle brought home gold medals from the International Children’s Games in Athens.

Fifteen-year-old Emma from St Leonards and 14-year-old Rachel from Crutherland Gate were part of the Lanarkshire 4x100m girls’ relay team that stormed to victory in the Greek capital on Friday evening.

It was Emma’s third Children’s Games – after a string of great performances in San Francisco last year and Reykjavik in 2007 – but it was Rachael’s first crack at the event dubbed the ‘mini Olympics.’

And the local track star was thrilled with her opening effort. She said: “It feels amazing to have won gold in my first time competing at the Children’s Games. Unfortunately, it will be my only time at them as I’ll be too old next year but I had a great time in Athens.

“I’m gutted about that because there was a great atmosphere with everyone in the Lanarkshire team cheering us on in the final.”

The Lanarkshire relay team – which also included 14-year-old Arlene Barr from Cambuslang (who runs for East Kilbride Athletic Club) and 13-year-old Mhairi Hendry from Motherwell – blasted the opposition away in a time of 49.77 seconds in an action-packed final day at the competition.

Rachael was the Lanarkshire track-star of the event as she picked up three medals. To add to her gold in the relay, Rachel turned her attention to the high jump and picked up her first medal of the day with a 1.59m leap to secure bronze.

Following that, Rachel then dashed across the track for the 100m sprint and blasted home in a time of 12.46s to pick up silver with Emma missing bronze by a whisker in 12.83s.

But Friday morning saw the Lanarkshire team storm into the final of the 4x100m just behind favourites Singapore.

And by the evening Arlene, Emma, Mhairi and Rachel were back on the track for the race of their lives.

Arlene blasted from the blocks in the final, provided a flawless pass to Rachel, who flew down the back straight before handing over to 800m runner Mhairi. The 800m specialist stormed round the curve like a veteran sprinter before handing over to Emma, who took the baton neck-and-neck with Singapore and the USA.

Emma, roared on by the Lanarkshire squad and supporters, tore away to smash the clock in 49.77 seconds to bring the curtain down on her third successive year at the Games.

A delighted Emma, whose team ran the fastest race by a Scots team this year, told the News this week: “I’ve been very lucky to have taken part in the previous two Games but nothing was as exciting as the relay on Friday night.

“The atmosphere was electric, and when I got the baton from Mhairi I heard the crowd roar and just ran as fast as I could. When I crossed the finishing line the four of us had a big hug. It meant so much to us to win.

“Rachel had a fantastic day, winning three medals, we were all delighted for her, but that’s what makes the Games so special – you go as a team, and you compete as a team.

“To run the final leg in my last race was extra special and something I will always remember and thanks go to the work that Yvonne Murray and Jim Goldie put in as they prepared us for Athens.

“I can’t wait for the Games to come to Lanarkshire in 2011 and I will be there to cheer on all the athletes.”