LORNA Jackson launched her javelin career on to a new plane, and on to the flight for the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, when she won the UK Inter-counties title yesterday at Bedford.
Jackson reached 56.71 metres with her opening throw, and also went further than the Scotland selectors' guideline of 55.0m with her second. The official view is that the guideline does not guarantee a place in Malaysia this September, but with only four Commonwealth athletes having flung further, Jackson is not only effectively in the team, but will be a strong medal contender if she can find a further three metres.
Having first broken the 50-metre barrier as a teenager, the Edinburgh Woollen Mill woman looked as though she was ready for take-off when reaching eighth in the Commonwealth in 1996, but plagued by injury problems last season, she struggled to reach 50m.
Now she is Britain's No.1 this year, and leading contender for the single place in the team for the European Cup next month in St Petersburg. Though she was in the UK squad four years ago, she has never been selected again.
If there was jubilation for the 24-year-old Jackson, however, there was bitter disappointment for her clubmate, sprinter Aileen McGillivary. A revelation on her 400 metres debut in winning the West title this month, McGillivary had moved down to her main event, comfortably winning her 200m heat in a legal 24.38. In the final she was already clear of the field, and stepping up a gear coming off the bend, but with some 70 metres to run, pulled up with a savagely-pulled groin muscle. ''It has been niggling me all week, and I suspected I should not run,'' she said, after having been helped from the arena with an ice pack on her thigh.
Cath Garden's record-breaking sequence in the hammer came to an end when she was overtaken in the final round and relegated to third, with 50.92m - only the second contest this year in which the former world age-group record holder has failed to set a Scottish best.
Three Scots reached the final of the 100m hurdles, but Anglo Katie Sketchley, fifth in a wind-aided 13.85, was best. Jos Harwood, the Scottish veteran record holder, ran outstandingly to reach the final at the age of 40.
Lee McConnell, who cleared 1.81m to win the West high jump title, was disappointed with third behind Jo Jennings, after a modest 1.76m.
Fifth was the best placing by any of the Scottish men in action on the opening day. Victoria Park's Chris Baillie, 17 last month, made an excellent showing against senior opposition in the 110m hurdles, and City of Edinburgh's Ian Horsburgh clearly has more to come in the 400m.
World relay bronze medallist Doug Walker, due to run the 200 metres, and Steph Hayward (shot) are the best title hopes among the men today. Winners and leading Scottish performances (E= East Scotland, W=West):
Men. 100 metres: D Joyce (Bedfordshire) 10.43 (+2.0 metres per second). B Doyle (W) 10.83 (heat). 400m: J Deacon (NE Counties) 46.70; 5, A Horsburgh (E) 48.34. A Mitchell (W) 49.34 (heat). 10,000m: M Hula (Avon) 30-35.15; 9, K Chapman (Greater Manchester) 31-57.70. 110m hurdles: D Bradley (Cheshire) 14.07 (+4.6); 5, C Baillie (W) 14.55 (heat 14.75, +1.2). 3000m steeplechase: B Whitby (Middlesex) 8-51.50. Pole vault: K Hughes (Essex) 5.30m. Triple jump: J Golley (M'sex) 16.19m. Javelin: M Robeson (Cambs) 78.70m. Discus: P Wilkins (Oxfordshire) 61.59m; 9, B Robb (E) 45.50m.
Women. 200m: V Day (Essex) 23.84 (+4.4). A McGillivary 24.38 (+1.6, heat). 800m: A Crowe (N Ireland) 2-07.44. 10,000m: M Heathcote (Kent) 35-09.92. 100m hurdles: K Maddox (Staffs) 13.37 (+2.8); 5, K Sketchley (Essex) 13.85; 6, L Silver (Hants) 14.34; 8, J Harwood (NE Counties) 14.44 (heat, 14.33). High jump: J Jennings (Yorks) 1.85m; 3, L McConnell (W) 1.76m; 7, G Black (E) 1.66m. Triple jump: C Henry (M'sex) 13.15m; 4, K Skeggs (Kent) 12.35; 5, N Barr (W) 12.04m. Shot: J Duncan (Essex) 15.15m. Hammer: R Beverly (NE Counties) 55.73m, 3, C Garden (E) 50.92m. Javelin: L Jackson (E) 56.71m.
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