cottish athletes rose to the occasion at the British Athletics Championships in Birmingham, bagging a golden haul of medals while a Croydon Harrier posted the second fastest 100m time by a UK athlete in the heats.
On the hottest day of the year James Dasaolu (Croydon) scorched his way to a 9.91 seconds time in the 100m heats to become the second-fastest British athlete in history behind Olympic and world champion Linford Christie (9.87secs).
Dasaolu joins Dwain Chambers, Christie and Jason Gardener in the list of British 100m sprinters who have dipped under the 10-second barrier.
Crossing the finish line, Dasaolu looked at the clock and raised his arms in disbelief but, after subsequently suffering cramp, opted to miss the final so as not to risk his place at next month’s World Championships in Moscow.
“I don’t want to let anybody down and I was looking forward to taking my first British Championships 100m title,” he said. “My ultimate aim is to be fit for Moscow and I don’t want to risk an injury competing in the final.”
Meanwhile, Dwain Chambers (Belgrave) took the 100m title for the seventh time in his career in a season’s best time of 10.04.
Silver medallist Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Sutton) ran a personal best of 10.08 and Andrew Robertson (Sale) also posted a personal best of 10.14 to finish third.
Eilish McColgan (Dundee Hawkhill) retained her 3,000m steeplechase title as Scots dominated the medal placings.
Lennie Waite led through the 2km point in three minutes 13 seconds before McColgan took charge in the closing stages to take the gold medal in nine minutes 56.02 seconds, while Emily Stewart (Edinburgh AC) outsprinted Waite in the chase for the silver medal clocking 10:02.09 to Waite’s 10:04.97.
McColgan now has her sights set on the Moscow World Championships having achieved the qualifying mark of nine minutes 43 seconds with her 9:41.50 in Rome last month.
She said: “I’ve never been so nervous going into a race. The run-up I’ve had has been a complete nightmare but I’m really pleased to have made the team for Moscow.
“I’ve trained so hard after an injury niggle and I’ve another four weeks to get ready for the worlds and compete in some flat races.”
Also heading for Moscow will be Pitreavie’s Eilidh Child, who battled for the 400m hurdles title with GB colleague Perri Shakes-Drayton (Victoria Park).
The Londoner prevailed in 54.36 seconds following the sprint in off the final barrier with Child timed at 54.90.
She said: “My stride wasn’t quite as it should have been, I would have liked to have been a bit quicker but can’t complain the speed is there it’s just about getting the hurdling right for Moscow.
“Because I race Perri so often, and I’m getting closer and closer to her, it makes me more confident.
“You’ve got to respect how good she actually is. Perri’s one of the best athletes in the world I think she’s third in the world rankings this year.”
Barely 24 hours after flying in from his Flagstaff base, Andrew Lemoncello (Fife AC) bagged his fourth UK track title, winning the 10,000m.
Lemoncello pushed the pace for the opening 3km before the 13 starters passed halfway in 13 minutes 44 seconds, drifting away from the 2014 Commonwealth Games qualifying target.
At the bell Keith Gerrard (Newham EB), Scott Overall (Blackheath) and Lemoncello were all in contention but the Fife athlete accelerated serving up a 57 second last lap, surging through on the inside of Gerrard with 50m to go.
A winning time of 29 minutes 28.72 outside of the 29.00 required for Glasgow 2014 was a disappointment.
Lemoncello said: “I came here to go for the Commonwealth time but after two miles we were already off pace and I wasn’t feeling that fresh, I just tried to go for the win then.
“As it wound up towards the end I was feeling confident. Even when it was getting too fast for me I was saying I can win this, and luckily I pulled it out of the bag with 100m to go.
“Surprisingly I still had quick legs, so I’m happy with that.”
There was also gold for Chris O’Hare (Edinburgh AC) in the 1,500m final as he proved tactically spot on to win in three minutes 51.36 seconds.
Rounding off a weekend of distinction for Scottish athletes, there was a Scottish one-two in the 5,000m final where Stephanie Twell (Aldershot) took the title in 15 minutes 55.01 seconds ahead of Scot Laura Whittle (Sutton Coldfield) in 16:00.50.
With Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis not in attendance and Greg Rutherford nursing a hamstring injury, the only world or Olympic champion on display was Welshman Dai Greene, who eased fears over his form by taking the 400m hurdles title in 48.66 seconds overtaking compatriot Rhys Williams on the penultimate hurdle.
As the 2011 world champion, Greene has a wildcard entry for Moscow which means Williams, by finishing second in a personal best 48.85 seconds, has also booked his place in the GB team for Moscow.
Olympic silver medallist Christine Ohuruogu (Newham EB) won the 400m title in 50.98 seconds ahead of GB colleague Shana Cox (Woodford Green in 51.76 while Gemma Nicol (Dunfermline Track & Field Club) placed 7th in 53.77.
Teenage star Jessica Judd (Chelmsford) was beaten in the 800m final by the experienced Marilyn Okoro (Shaftesbury Barnet) in two minutes 00.60 ahead of Judd’s 2:02.81. Edinburgh AC’s Emily Dudgeon finished 5th in 2:04.22.
Jenny Tan (Fife AC) recorded a season’s best of 2:06.39 in the heats.
In the field, Anglo-Scot Andy Frost (Woodford Green) won the hammer throw with a best throw of 72.28m, while fellow Scot Mark Dry was sixth with 66.95m.
Nony Mordi (Fife AC) placed 4th in the triple jump with a mark of 13.02m as Laura Samuel (Birchfield) took the title with 13.75m.