Fortrose Academy pupil is Scottish Short Course Cross Country champion
ANDREW Baird has been crowned under-17 national champion as he took gold at the Scottish Short Course Cross Country Championship in Kirkcaldy.
The 16-year-old Ross County Athletics Club athlete claimed the title as he completed the three kilometre course in a time of eight minutes and 52 seconds.
He was one second ahead of Callum Hendry of Falkirk Victoria Harriers in second place in 8:53 with Ray Taylor, also of Falkirk Victoria Harriers, in third place in 8:54.
The Easter Kinkell teenager, who is in fifth year at Fortrose Academy, says becoming Scottish champion is the biggest achievement in his cross country career so far.
He said: “It was a good time given that the course was quite wet and muddy.
“The course had a variation of hills, twists and turns with unpleasant ground conditions to run through.
“With around 600 metres to the finishing line I managed to take the lead. Even though there were people behind me, they weren’t sprinting ahead and I managed to hold the lead by a safe margin.
“It is definitely a good championship to win and it is up there with the other Scottish titles that I have won as it is my first national cross country medal.”
Baird is no stranger to national success having won a number of Scottish and British titles on the track.
Recognised as one of the most promising prospects in Scottish athletics, Baird has been accepted into the Scottish Athletics Academy based at the Scottish Institute of Sport in Stirling.
The two-year education programme for talented track and field athletes aims to develop knowledge, skills, and competencies to help them progress towards senior competition.
He is set to take part in his first training session at Stirling on Sunday.
Baird is now preparing for his next race at the British Cross Championships and European Trials in Liverpool on Saturday, November 23 and will be competing on a five kilometre course.
