Lewis smashes 31-year-old athletics record

Jun 19 2008 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON athlete Lewis Gibb is top of the Scottish Under-15 200m and 100m rankings following two impressive performances at the Scottish Schools’ Athletic Association Championship in Grangemouth.

The Motherwell Athletics Club member beat a 31-year-old record as he won the under-15 boys’ 100m race with a personal best time of 11.56secs, shattering the previous time of 11.60secs.

On the previous day, Hamilton Grammar pupil Lewis (14), won the under-15 boys’ 200m, setting a personal best of 23.49secs, more than half-a-second faster than his previous best.

Lewis is hitting peak form as he prepares to depart for San Francisco with the Lanarkshire team for the International Children’s Games next month.

Dad Robert (42), said: “Lewis is developing really well. His progress in the 200m is amazing. Two years ago, he was 300th in Britain and now he’s in the top 15. That’s quite a jump.

“His progress at 200m level has been huge, and at 100m he’s coming along to plan. However, his coach Bob McCrumb reckons even he can’t keep Lewis going, and is looking to arrange some specialist training. He told me last week that Lewis’s talent is ‘frightening’.

“Lewis is off to the International Children’s Games in San Francisco in July and for four weeks he will receive specialist coaching from Sandy Robertson, who is one of the top coaches in the country.

“Lewis is apprehensive because it will be the first time he’s ever been abroad, but he’s excited at the same time.”

Lewis also recently secured a sponsorship deal with running shop ‘Run-4-It’, to the delight of his dad, who said: “The sponsorship is brilliant and will save me a fortune. Matt Williamson at Run-4-Life has been brilliant with him.”

Lewis isn’t the only young Motherwell AC athlete to be doing well as clubmate Mhairi Hendry last week set two new records during the South Lanarkshire Primary Schools’ track finals.

The Chatelherault Primary pupil finished first in the girls’ 600m heats in just 1m 51.8secs, and less than two hours later won the final in a new South Lanarkshire record of 1m 50.9secs.

In the North Lanarkshire Schools’ Championship, Ilona Clark took gold in the 800m event, and was part of a relay team which scooped silver.

Louise Slamin, who was part of the same relay team, won the 200m event.

David McCrum won gold in the javelin, Hannah Ferguson took bronze in 800m, and Chris McCrum was a member of the first-placed relay team in his age group.

Scott Dickson has in recent weeks also cut his 800m personal best time by 10 seconds.