One long jump towards the commonwealths

Edinburgh AC athlete Sarah Warnock was today the surprise winner of the woman’s long jump event at the Scottish athletics senior national track and field championships at Scotstoun stadium. This being the last Scottish championships before Glasgow 2014.

Warnock battled challenging, windy conditions and pulled off and outstanding performance to beat favourite, UK under 20 champion, sale harriers' Jade Nimmo to grab gold and her first Scottish national title. Nimmo coming second to nab silver and Lisa Ferguson in third place receiving bronze.

Competition between the two placed first and second was tight from the very beginning, Sarah leading in rounds 1 and 2, jade then pulling it back in round 3 clearing 6.09m leaving only 5cm separating the girls. Her leading position didn’t last and Warnock went on to win out right in the 5th round with a jump of 6.27m. The jump unfortunately had an illegal win speed of +3.3 meaning it was not eligible as a commonwealth qualifying score (6.2m), but her fourth round jump of 6.24 did count.

In addition to her victory, she met the necessary requirements to solidify her place in nominations for the Scottish team for the 2014 games. This added with her teams win at the British women’s league last weekend, in which she plays key role taking part in 4 events-high jump, triple jump, long jump and 4x1, made it a very successful week all round for Warnock.

Her team manager John Smith also receiving the coaching award today. After the competition when speaking about the now very real possibility of competing at Hampden next year she said how: "it began to feel real when I jumped 6.16 indoor and won bronze at the senior indoors ac's and I thought, that’s only 4cm, what’s 4cm really? That’s nothing I could really do this." Then when she received her first qualifying score she really began to believe it, how she's "one of people that has to see it before it happens. I need something to believe for it to be real".

The sale of the tickets for 2014 being so close was also an added incentive just as last night before competing she was talking with her mother about how she would need tickets for the events "not to tempt fate, but we'll have to buy tickets. It’s nice to think oh I could actually be there". As the games grow ever closer everyone is getting pumped up to perform on home ground.

Also adding to the excitement is the idea of competing in front of a home crowd is.” walking out infront of a whole Scottish crowd everyone cheering you on, 100% behind every athlete well known or not".

All in all a great day for Scottish athletics. A great day for Sarah Warnock and one step closer to Glasgow 2014.

Shawnie Wright Bellahouston Academy