Dundee Hawkhill Harriers athlete speaks of her pride of winning seven titles at Nairn Highland Games
IONA Esslemont was in seventh heaven when she dominated the Nairn Highland Games by winning every competition she took part in.
The Dundee Hawkhill Harriers athlete was in imperious form as she claimed victory in all seven events at the Games held earlier this month.
The 21-year-old from Broughty Ferry claimed first place in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, long jump, high jump and shot put in one of the best performances produced by an individual athlete in the event’s history.
Despite coming from Tayside, Esslemont credits visiting her grandparents Fraser and Peggy Macpherson, who live in Nairn, every summer for introducing her to the Nairn Highland Games.
She said it is an event which she loves competing in, having entered for a number of years.
“My grandparents are from Nairn and it is always a family tradition that we come up every summer for the Nairn Games,” said Esslemont.
“I have watched the Nairn Games for as long as I can remember. I would come up to see around shows and look at what was going on. As I got older, I picked up the love for competing at them. I have entered the Nairn Games for the last six years.”
Esslemont says she did not expect to be so dominant at the Games, but was pleased that everything went right for her on the day.
She said: “This year I really didn’t know what to expect, I have been training to do a Rat Race from Nairn to Glencoe and I went in with an open mind. I was quite chuffed to see the results at the end.”
Esslemont has been training in athletics since she was at primary school when her talent was spotted by Dundee Hawkhill Harriers. She also competes for Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen where she is studying physiotherapy.
Speaking about how she got involved in running, Esslemont said: “In primary school we had a Sprint Dundee event, we had to run the length of the playground.
“The fastest four got taken forward and raced down a street in Dundee. I got invited to the Dundee Hawkhill Harriers when I was nine and started training with them. I have played netball too, but running has always been my main sport.”
Esslemont is set to return to Nairn in a couple of weeks when she competes in a Rat Race Coast to Coast Challenge from Cawdor Castle to Glencoe, where she will cycle, kayak and run 100 miles.
She says she just wants to continue enjoying athletics and hopefully return to the Nairn Games.
She said: “The Nairn Games is a really friendly environment and I always look forward to it. Sometimes at the bigger competitions it can be quite intense, but the environment at the Highland Games is really nice. It is always one of the highlights to come up to the Nairn Games.”
