Brian Clinches 9th Scottish Open Indoor Masters Heptathlon Title
Despite not being at his best, Brian Slaughter claimed his 9th Scottish Open Indoor Masters Heptathlon title last weekend at the world-renowned Emirates Arena. His club mate, Grant Stirling, who finished third in the age-ranked event, praised the arena and its organisation, calling it one of the best he had ever witnessed.
The competition kicked off with the 60m, where Grant, just a few weeks away from moving into the M50 age group, ran an impressive 7.96 seconds. Grant is preparing for the World Masters Indoor Championship in March, which will take place in Florida, USA, where he will compete in this new age group.
Next, the athletes moved on to the Shot Put, where Brian claimed victory over Grant. The focus then shifted to the Pole Vault, with Grant setting an indoor best of 3.39m. Although he needed a higher grip, he didn’t have a pole that would allow him to do so.
Day one concluded with the Long Jump, where Brian, dealing with a tightening back, fell short of his expected distance. Grant also faced challenges, as his speed on the runway was faster than before, but his approach led to two fouls. Fortunately, he made a correction on his third jump and posted a solid, safe distance of 5.42m. By the end of the day, Grant and Brian were in the lead, with an Eastbourne 1-2 position.
Day two began with the 60m Hurdles, where Grant achieved his best score of the weekend, earning 730 points with a time of 9.67 seconds, further extending his lead over Brian.
In the High Jump, the penultimate event, there were contrasting performances. Grant, giving away a four-age group advantage to Brian, actually performed better than Brian in the event but scored fewer points. This set up an exciting finish, with the 1000m coming up—an event where Brian excels and can earn big points.
Grant made a bold move, leading the field through the first two laps, while Brian stayed close behind, closing the gap. In the final push, Brian edged ahead, finishing the 1000m in 3:44.06. He earned his best points of the weekend—702 points—and secured victory with a total of 4308 points, just shy of his British Record of 4729 points set two years ago. Grant finished with 4032 points, claiming the overall Bronze.