Buchanan smashes personal best to set new Inverness Harriers under-15 record over 1500m
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A young Inverness Harrier has surged into second place in UK rankings while breaking a 30-year-old club record with a phenomenal 1500 metres run in Manchester.
Millburn Academy pupil Lachlan Buchanan triumphed in a heat time of 4:09:09 at the Trafford Open Series at Stretford on Saturday.
It was far and away the fastest among under-15s and even left many older runners in the shade.
More than that, the Milton of Leys 14-year-old’s brilliant run clocked in as the seventh-fastest all-time Scottish result at under-15s level.
It also smashed his own personal best by more than 12 seconds, while finally eclipsing the best Harriers’ time set in 1990 by Stewart MacKay, the former Scottish Schools cross country team captain and under-15 champion.
Buchanan’s impact is all the more remarkable given injury troubles over the last few years.
Coach Stephen Mackay, Harriers’ senior record-holder at 1500 metres, has consciously kept the young prospect’s competitive action to a minimum during recovery from knee trouble and Sever’s disease, a painful inflammation of the lower heel.
“He’s a talented boy,” Mackay said. “You always have to be careful with young athletes, but when a kid starts to impact at an all-time level nationally you know they are a special talent.
“The records he is breaking at Inverness Harriers were set by pretty impressive athletes so he definitely has all the ability and potential.
“He is a super-driven lad, not only gifted but pretty focused and ambitious as well. For me, it’s just about guiding him forward through these early stages, keeping him healthy and progressing, but also enjoying it.”
As for the future, again there is caution but with Buchanan’s birthday falling just a little over two weeks too early to remain at under-15s level next year, a step up to under-17s competition and new opportunities to impact at UK level could beckon.
“There’s a huge potential for him to move forward once he starts racing regularly,” Mackay added.
“He’s starting to learn a lot more about his event. He’s on a great trajectory.”
Read the full edition of today's Highland News here.
