ATHLETES with Dunfermline Track and Field Club marked their return to a prestigious competition with an impressive medal haul.

Having been absent from the calendar for two years, the 4J Studios scottishathletics East District Track and Field Championships is back and members of the club collected 19 gongs.

The event, held at Grangemouth Sports Stadium, saw events held in the under-13, under-15, under-17, under-20, senior and masters age groups, with younger Dunfermline Track and Field competitors excelling.

Under-15 athlete Sophie Thomas was in top form to win the 100 metres – setting a new club age group record, and PB, of 12.33 seconds in the process – and the 200m, also with a PB of 25.9, while Darcie Black was also in gold-medal winning form.

The under-17 athlete, who was named Dunfermline and West Fife Sports Council's Young Sports Personality of the Year in their annual awards for 2021, was victorious in the 80m hurdles thanks to a season's best of 12.18, and in the long jump, with a distance of 5.29m.

Darcie also picked up a silver medal in the high jump together with team-mate Ellie Candlish and Tweed Leader Jed Track's Evie Renwick, after they all leaped a total of 1.52m.

Amy Jenkinson, who finished fourth in the under-15 100m and set a PB of 13.26 in her heat, took gold in the 75m hurdles (12.54), while Caitlin Chalmers, in the under-13 high jump (1.24m); Callum Newton, in the under-17 100m hurdles (14.37, PB); and Matthew Tait (under-17 high jump, 1.92m), also claimed first-place finishes.

In the under-13 girls' 70m hurdles, Molly Robinson, with a PB of 14.72, collected silver ahead of team-mate Lily Pritchard, who won bronze in 16.4, while Kirstin Penman did likewise in the under-17 80m hurdles, with a PB of 12.8, to complete a club one-two in that event.

Oliver Morrison, in the under-17 high jump, took silver behind Matthew Tait with an effort of 1.52m, while Amy Jenkinson also placed second in the under-15 girls' high jump (1.32m) in an event that saw Rachel Barnett finish just outside the medals with a leap of 1.22m.

Kirstin Penman added to her hurdles medal by winning under-17 long jump bronze, with a PB of 4.88m, while Callum Newton (5.74m) won silver in the boys' event in the same age group.

Sophie Jenkinson took under-13 girls' long jump bronze with a best of 3.77m, with Molly Robinson's PB of 3.43m securing her fifth place, and Briony Argo placing just behind in 3.10m, while Sarah Kane, with a PB of 7.52m, won under-15 shot put bronze.

Outside the medals, Lottie Thomas and Murron Kane set new bests on their way to fifth and sixth place respectively in the under-13 girls' 100m, while Kirstin Penman recorded a season's best time of 45.58 to finish fourth in the under-17 300m.

The club had four finalists in the under-17 boys' 800m, with Oliver Morrison (2:05.03, PB), Mark Harley (2:10.06), David Cuthbert (2:10.37, PB), and Munro Strachan (2:11.91), finishing fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth respectively.

Under-13 trio Poppy Warner, Briony Argo and Lily Pritchard all set PBs in their timed finals, with Poppy securing an impressive sixth place, with Caitlin Chalmers – the only Dunfermline Track and Field entrant in the under-13 girls' 1500m timed final – finished a very creditable seventh with a PB of 6:00.47.

In the field, Lottie Thomas, with a PB of 1.11m, was fourth in the under-13 girls' high jump, while Finlay Gaughan, in the under-13 boys' long jump (3.43m), and Lily Pritchard, in the under-13 girls' shot put (4.04m), secured PBs in placing seventh and fourth respectively.