More success for young Peebles athlete Louis Whyte

The 16-year-old athlete in the local jumps group, coached by Linda Nicholson, represented Peebles High School in the Scottish Schools National Championships on Tuesday.

Competing in both the U17 long jump and triple jump he set his stamp on both competitions, holding off some stiff opposition from schools across Scotland to run out victor in both.

After only a few days rest he headed west again, this time to face UK challenge in the Scottish U17 National Championships, which is also open to those residing outwith Scotland.

Facing top competition from across the country, Whyte held his nerve not only to win both the long jump and triple jump Scottish titles, but to produce his best ever jumps in both, an outstanding 6m55 in the long jump and 12m88 in triple jump, to take him top of the Scottish rankings in both disciplines.

He was the only athlete in Scotland to achieve this “double-double”.

Other local athletes within the jumps group also excelled.

Hannah Begg, also representing Peebles High School, came away with her first Scottish schools’ medal with a fine bronze in the senior triple jump and a personal best jump.

Robert Horton, 12, was too young to have an age group in which to compete, but was permitted to compete up an age group, in the U15 section, on account of achieving the entry standard in 60m sprint and long jump.

And he did not look out of place in the older group, reaching the semi-final stage of the sprint, and the final of the long jump.

Elsewhere in the arena, Moorfoot junior Kieran Fulton treaded those boards through the heats and final in the U17 1500m at the Scottish Schools Championships, then the Scottish U17 National Championships, achieving a very creditable fourth place in each.

Whyte competes again in two weeks’ time when he moves up an age group to challenge for the Scottish National U20 long and triple jumps titles.