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Kenny’s Scotland call-up is 15 years in making


By Craig Christie

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TWO personal bests and solid runs on the national stage have earned Moray athlete Kenny Wilson his first Scotland vest.kenny wilson

Kenny Wilson storms to victory at Dufftown.
Kenny Wilson storms to victory at Dufftown.

The Knockando distillery worker received a debut international call-up this week and will run for his country at a 10k event in Leeds on November 5.

“I’m delighted. It’s my first Scotland call-up. I think I started running when I was 12 and I’m 27 now so that’s 15 years in the making to try and get there. I’ve definitely had to be patient.

“But I can’t wait to pull on the vest. It’s really exciting to be able to do it.”

Wilson will be part of a Scotland team competing at the International Leeds Abbey Dash 10k, against the best from UK, Ireland and other parts of Europe.

His form has peaked this autumn, as he was seconds off a medal position at the Scottish 10k championships in Stirling, before smashing his personal best at Loch Ness a fortnight later. The Moray Road Runner is closing in on one of his personal targets of breaking the 30 minute mark in a 10km race. His PB at Loch Ness was 30.25, shaving 20 seconds off his previous best at Stirling.

He is currently ranked fifth in the Scottish rankings on the Power of 10 website, and inside the top ten for half marathon distance.

“There’s a lot of competition when you compete nationally. A lot of them are capable of going under 30.

“When I run at Leeds, it will be a high quality field. I think there was one year where everyone in the top 30 went sub-30.

“Maybe in the past I haven’t raced as well when I went south and had to battle in races, but Stirling was the first time I got it right and managed to stay in the front group all the time.”

Wilson is trained at Moray Road Runners by coaches George and Carol Sim, who were both thrilled to hear news of his call-up. “They put a lot of hard work in with me so it was a good reward for them. It’s a team effort.”

His employers at Tamdhu Distillery were also happy, as they sponsor him by keeping him supplied with six pairs of trainers a year.

Wilson celebrated his good news with a win at the opening North District Cross Country race at Keith on Saturday. “Conditions were awful, really windy and lots of heavy showers so the course was really muddy, which is not my favourite surface. But it was a good race.”

Forres Harriers’ Anna MacFadyen made it a Moray double by winning the ladies race.

Grace Whelan won the under-17s ladies race for MRR while team-mate Blair Milne was second in the under-15s.


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