EVESHAM’S Heather Paton was in the national athletics spotlight recently when she competed at the Sainsbury’s British Senior Athletics Championships at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
The Worcester AC hurdler – one of the youngest competitors at 18 years, two months – was drawn in heat three of the 100m hurdles alongside Commonwealth Games team member Serita Solomon of Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC.
Finishing in sixth place, Paton was the fastest of the under 19 age group competing on the day, which bodes well for the English Schools’ Championships which take place at the same venue this weekend, when she will be joined in action by fellow Vale athletes Zoe Styles, Georgina Greenwood and Tom Kenwright.
Understandably nervous, the Scottish junior international has had a quieter start to the season than usual having been busy with her A-levels.
With her main competitions later in the year, it was a pleasing result to equal her personal best time of 14.45 seconds at this point in the season.
“With the pressure of exams I hadn’t been feeling very fast in training, but the last session on the Thursday before the championships went well, which gave me some confidence.” said Paton.
“I felt quick in the warm-up area and focused on my own race and the time turned out to be good considering the weather. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season now and it felt good to run quickly again.”
Having been announced as the silver medallist from the Scottish Indoor Championships, it was fitting that Paton was wearing her international vest in such an important year for Scottish sport.
She put in a performance of which her country would be proud and, although Glasgow 2014 has come a few years too soon, there is always the 2018 edition in Australia’s Gold Coast City to aim for.