Scottish 10k champion and half marathon internationalist Sean Chalmers emerges as favourite for the 2022 edition of the Campus 5k which takes place at Inverness Campus on Friday evening.
The Aberdeen-based Inverness Harrier, who won his Scottish title at Kilmarnock last month, is moving down distance from his more recent successes to make his debut at this fourth running of the Inverness race.
However, he should have plenty of competition from a number of prominent road racers, including Stirling University student Hamish Hickey, formerly of Ross County, who now runs for Central AC.
Also in the field is Shettleston Harrier Lachlan Oates, who recently relocated to Lossiemouth, while the Wilson brothers of Moray Road Runners should also be prominent.
Kenny Wilson is an established Scottish internationalist, while his fast-improving brother James emerges from a tight 10k battle with eventual winner Hickey at last Saturday’s Forres Games. Ewan Davidson should further contribute to a strong Moray contingent.
Depth improving in road racing
There is less depth in the women’s race, where Inverness’s European Junior cross country champion Megan Keith has decided not to run in advance of a major race in Lancashire next weekend. However, she is expected to undertake pacemaking duties on home ground.
This leaves the fastest female seed as Catriona Fraser of Inverness.
Organiser Ross Cairns is delighted this form of event is finding its feet again.
He said: “The Campus 5k already has a great reputation as one of the fastest 5ks in Scotland and a history of attracting leading runners.
“Depth in road racing is still recovering after the pandemic, but we still have a lot of leading men running, although this year’s women’s race isn’t as strong as before.
“We are very pleased to be putting this on again and look forward to an excellent night of racing.”
Fraser out to defend title in Dundee
Stroma Fraser, meanwhile, defends her Scottish under-17 heptathlon title at this weekend’s Scottish multi-events championships at Dundee.
Also at stake for the 16-year old Munlochy-based Inverness Harrier is a place in the Scottish U17 team for a multi-events international in Belfast in September.
Already this year she has won the Scottish indoor pentathlon title as well as the Scottish schools 300m hurdles and pentathlon outdoors.
On July 16, she will be in the 300m hurdles and long jump at the British Schools International, also in Belfast, where her team-mates will include fellow Inverness Harrier Lachlan Buchanan.
Last Sunday, both athletes also produced personal bests to qualify for September’s UK School Games when Buchanan ran 1 minute 55.74 sec for the 800m and Fraser 46.21 sec for the 300m hurdles.
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