A SQUAD of 18 young athletes from Helensburgh AAC took part in the 1st Scottish Youth Development League outdoor match of the season in Kilmarnock.

This league is only for U17 athletes and younger and gives them a chance to perform against a higher level of competition, and HAAC teams up with local sister club, Clydesdale, to compete as a combined team.

For the U13 age group, Matthew Gall had an excellent day, with a hard-fought first place in the 800m and second place in the javelin.

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Alex Brown performed well, taking third in the 200m and fourth in the hurdles, and Gethin Davis was third in the 1500m, while Matthew, Alex and Gethin teamed up with a Clydesdale athlete to finish fifth in the 4x100m.

For the girls team Holly Kenhard recorded a new high jump personal best of 1.30m to take second place, and also finished fourth in the 150m; Catriona McAllister was fifth in the long jump, and Molly Ferguson fourth in the shot put.

In the U15 age group Lexy Kenhard posted a new PB – and the eighth-best time in Scotland this year – in the sprint hurdles, along with second equal in the high jump and third in the long jump, while Matthew Cameron took a strong second in a close 1500m race in a new personal best time, and took part in his first javelin competition.

Teaming up with Clydesdale athletes, Eva Rooney and team were sixth in the 4x100m, with Maddie Rooney, Rowan Mair and Isla McKinnon competing in the 4x300m team which took fourth place.

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In a depleted U17 age group, Kyla Dorizon was second in the U17 hurdles, with Katie Flett third in the 1500m and getting a PB in the 200m.

Distance runners Jenny Scott, Iona Wilson and Katie Flett, along with Kyla, made up the sprint squad for the 4x100m race and finshed third.

Oliver Greetham was the sole U17 boy and performed well in all his events in his first main track and field competition.