CENTRAL Athletic Club has set the pace for sporting success in Clackmannanshire after a number of achievements this year.

With over 500 members, the club is home to an array of Scottish Champions, record holders and internationalists. 

Central AC’s Tony Waterhouse said: “It’s been a great 2016 of individual and team accomplishment. An Olympic finalist on the one hand, but loads of relay medals.”

The club’s own Andrew Butchart finished an impressive sixth place in the Olympic men’s 5,000m final in Rio de Janeiro - a race that was won by double-gold medalist Mo Farah. 

The athlete has since captained the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team at the European Cross Country Championships in December.
Waterhouse hailed the 25-year-old as “the new superstar of British Athletics.”

He told Advertiser Sport: “Captaining the cross country team in the European Championships was an important thing on the global stage.”

The distance runner has broken two Scottish records that had previously remained safe for almost three decades.

While there have been some exceptional individual achievements, Waterhouse praised the performance of the club.

The sporting organisation received recognition for its work by being named Scottish Athletics Off Track Club of the Year.

The award is for a club that has shown improvement in off track events and supported athletes at every age and stage of their development. 

The club’s senior teams were also successful over the year.

The men triumphed as national champions in cross-country and road racing, while the women displayed their consistency by once again becoming champions on the tarmac.

Meanwhile young talents in Clacks have been highlighted as future stars.

Alva Academy high jumper Cameron McCorgray is a Scottish Schools and East of Scotland Champion making a name for himself in the senior ranks.

Dollar Academy’s Emma Mailer and Catriona Laing have also been tipped to do well.

Mailer was the Scottish Schools and Under 15 Champion at 300 metres, while Laing has won a double of 200 and 300 metres at the East of Scotland Championships. 

Waterhouse hopes the club will continue its strong showing into 2017.

He added: “Looking ahead, the club wants to cement its place at the top table of Scottish athletics and push for even higher accomplishments of its individual members, but especially for its teams. 

“The club prides itself as the top relay club in both track and endurance events, so another year when Central have the teams that everyone else is trying to beat would be great.”