THE famous Alva Games made a triumphant return at the weekend after a three year hiatus due to the pandemic.

Last able to go ahead in 2019, the 164th Alva Games finally took place on Saturday, July 9 with almost 5,000 people attending.

Craig Dunbar, games secretary, told the Advertiser about an “absolutely fabulous” day.

He said: “It was a brilliant day. We overran at 6.40pm. It’s never been as late as that before but I keep saying on a day like that nobody cares what time you finish.

“It was fabulous, absolutely fabulous.

“The crowds were in early. I normally check in by about 2pm but it was actually busy by 12 noon. I’ve seen pictures of the queues to get in and I’ve never seen that before. I’ve been doing this for 27 years and never seen it before.

“The crowd was just shy of 5,000. We had 153 dancers from across the planet, 89 hill runners, 28 kids in the U12 race. It was just a fabulous day, [we had] visitors from everywhere.

“We’ve had nothing but positive feedback from people that were there which is what it’s all about, it’s meant to be a family day and that’s what it was.

“It was just a really, really successful day.”

Craig explained he’s seen events receive bigger crowds as people return to normality after the pandemic.

He said: “It’s a combination of the Covid bounce and the games. Everyone’s been couped up and every event I’ve been to this year has had a bigger crowd.

“That was monumentally bigger than any crowd I’ve seen at the games before. Everywhere people are coming out in large numbers because they want to be out and enjoy themselves.”

Despite this year’s games being three years in the making, the organisers hardly have a break as work will soon begin for next year.

Asked if it can be even bigger, Craig said: “I don’t know if we can. We want to do as well as. Planning begins in three weeks.”

Craig, and all associated with the games, want to wish a huge thank you to everyone who made Saturday such a special day.

He said: “Genuine heartfelt thanks to everybody: spectators, competitors, sponsors, patrons, all the helpers and the people who completely cleared the park by midday on Sunday.

“A massive thanks to everybody.”

FULL RESULTS:

90m Open

1st Frabcisco Lopez-Smith, Spain (9.50 secs)

2nd Erik Escala, Central AC

3rd Ewen Bradley, Inverness

90m Open Invitational Handicap

1st John Armstrong, Leith (10.27 secs)

2nd Kieran Halliday, Denny

3rd Lee Goodfellow, Earlston

200m Open

1st Ewen Bradley, Inverness (22.09 secs)

2nd Stewart Clark, Stonehaven

3rd Erik Escala, Central AC

400m Open

1st Sean Bates, Tullibody (50.15 secs)

2nd Andrew Murphy, Kilbarchan

3rd Francisco Lopez-Smith, Spain

800m Open

1st Sean Bates, Tullibody (2m 05.05 secs)

2nd Craig Bell, Forfar

3rd Wiiliam Bates, Tullibody

1600m Open

1st Craig Bell, Forfar (4m 31.78 secs)

2nd Angela Bell, Forfar

3rd Andrew Gibson, Bo'ness

3200m Open

1st Thomas MacAskill, Hawick (NTG)

2nd Alistair Thornton, Alva

3rd Angela Bell, Forfar

90m Youths

1st Alfie Laing, Central AC (10.45 secs)

2nd Clara Lopez-Smith, Spain

3rd Euan Robertson, Central AC

200m Youths

1st Alfie Laing, Central AC (23.23 secs)

2nd Stuart Whiteford, Innerleithen

3rd Clara Lopez-Smith, Spain

400m Youths

1st Noah Cook, Ulverston (50.15 secs)

2nd Stuart Whiteford, Innerleithen

3rd Alfie Laing, Central AC

800m Youths

1st Noah Cook, Ulverston (2m 08.27 secs)

2nd Coby Taylor, Clackmannan

3rd Megan Williamson, Keighley

1600m Youths

1st Jack Sanderson, Settle (4m 41.45 secs)

2nd Megan Wilkinson, Keighley

3rd Archie Peaker, W. Yorkshire

800m Open cycling

1st Harry Newmark, Edinburgh (1m 10.18s)

2nd Craig Hamilton, Edinburgh

3rd James Melville, Alexandria

1600m Open Cycling

1st Craig Hamilton, Edinburgh (2m 36.95s)

2nd Harry Newark, Edinburgh

3rd James Melville, Alexandria

3200m Open Scottish Championship

1st Charles Fletcher, Grantown (5m 43.16s)

2nd Evan Oliphant, Wick

3rd Harry Newmark, Edinburgh

Deil Cycling

1st Charles Fletcher, Grantown

2nd Evan Oliphant, Wick

3rd Harry Newmark, Edinburgh

16lb Stone

1st Vlad Tulacek, Czech Rep (56' 0")

2nd Kyle Randalls, Falkirk

3rd Daniel Carlin, Renfrew

22lb Stone

1st Vlad Tulacek, Czech Rep (47' 2")

2nd David Melnicuk, Aberdeen

3rd Kyle Randalls, Falkirk

16lb Hammer

1st Vlad Tulacek, Czech Rep (134' 5")

2nd Kyle Randalls, Falkirk

3rd David Melnicuk, Aberdeen

22lb Hammer

1st Kyle Randalls, Falkirk (116' 9")

2nd Vlad Tulacek, Czech Rep

3rd David Melnicuk, Aberdeen

28lb Distance

1st Kyle Randalls, Falkirk (84' 1")

2nd Vlad Tulacek, Czech Rep

3rd Sinclair Patience, Inverness

56lb over Bar

1st Vlad Tulacek, Czech Rep (16' 0")

2nd Kyle Randalls, Falkirk

3rd David Melnicuk, Aberdeen

Caber

1st Vlad Tulacek, Czech Rep

2nd Eq Kyle Randalls, Falkirk

2nd EQ Sinclair Patience, Inverness

Points

1st Vlad Tulacek, Czech Rep (40pts)

2nd Kyle Randalls, Falkirk

3rd Sinclair Patience, Inverness

Athlete of the Day : Sean Bates, Tullibody

Junior Athlete: Noah Cook, Ulverston

Cycling Points: Harry Newmark, Edinburgh

Best Local: Sean Bates, Tullibody