WEST LINTON athlete Chris O’Hare became the first Scottish track athlete to capture a prestigious American National Collegiate title when he defeated a formidable field to win the NCAA indoor one-mile at the Jackson Indoor Arena in Boise, Idaho, on Saturday.
The 21-year-old Commonwealth Games prospect, who is on an athletics scholarship at Tulsa University, Arizona, went one better than last year with an assured performance, to lead from start to finish in a time of four minutes, 1.66 seconds.
A former Peebles High School pupil, O’Hare had qualified in third place in his heat on Friday in 4.04.24, conserving his energy for the big test the following day.
Former Commonwealth champion Meg Ritchie, who won an indoor shot putt title in 1983 and the outdoor shot and discus titles in 1982, is the only Scot to have captured an NCAA Division One title before.
z There was good news also this week for 19-year-old Peebles athlete Scout Adkin who has been selected for the national hill-running squad for the forthcoming season.