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
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