The news desk having been alerted by a source close to GHK we are delighted to report as follows;

On a weekend that sees Thom Evans hitting the boards of the Kelvin Hall and Hawks finding it heavy going at ANNIESLAND two young athletes with strong ANNIESLAND connections were making light of the elements in Calllander Park Falkirk
At the Scottish Cross Country Championships Neil Gourley Giffnock North (son of GHK VP Gourley) held off the challenge of a Max Aitchison )who has played rugby at Hawks and Glasgow Academy) to take the Under 17 title whilst Max led VP COG to the team honours
It is said If you want to be a good runner select your parents carefully all I can say is Mrs Gourley must have been some athlete

Giffnock North youngster Neil Gourley has dedicated his Scottish National Cross Country title to tragic club-mate Ewan Murray.


The Glasgow club were stunned to learn of the 18-year-old's death in a car accident on the weekend of February 11/12.


Only a week later, the scottishathletics Cross Country championships at Callendar Park, Falkirk, became a poignant occasion for all connected with Giffnock North as they claimed two solo title wins.


Gourley won the Under-17 boys championship over 4.8k and then Luke Traynor took the Under-20 title in impressive style over an 8k course.


Murray was a keen athlete with Giffnock North until a couple of injuries over the past 12 months and Gourley felt a special resonance on Saturday.


‘It is nice for Giffnock North to win a couple of individual titles today and I would like to dedicate my National Cross Country victory to Ewan's memory,’ said the 17-year-old.


‘I knew him quite well and trained with him at times a couple of years ago. He was a nice lad who enjoyed the sport.


‘It hit everyone at the club and it has been a terrible tragedy for his family.’


Gourley did extremely well to claim his first race win of the season with Max Aitchison (Victoria Park-Glasgow) and Finlay Rae (ayr Seaforth) involved in an incredible finish behind him. Both were given the same time, with Aitchison squeezing in to land the silver medal.

This article was originally posted on 19-Feb-2012, 08:03 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 20-Feb-2012, 19:23.