Saturday February 14th 2026
The 400 plus pupils taking part in the Hamilton College Cross Country Championships
Written by Glasgow View Reporter, Liam Eunson
More than 400 pupils competed in the 2026 Hamilton College Cross Country Championships held at Hamilton Park racecourse.
Eleven independent schools from around Scotland took part in the event, held for the second year in a row at the South Lanarkshire track. And for the first time, a state Primary School – St Columba’s PS from Bathgate, West Lothian – also participated.
Organisers were delighted to see the number of competitors rise by nearly 100 compared to 12 months ago.
The hosts competed alongside neighbours Fernhill, Glasgow’s Belmont House, Hutcheson’s Grammar, Jordanhill and Glasgow Academy, Albyn School and Robert Gordon’s College from Aberdeen, Perth’s Glenalmond College and Merchiston Castle from Edinburgh. Completing the line-up was St Columba’s School from Inverclyde and St Columba’s PS.
Races were contested over a variety of distances and a number of course records were set on a day when the weather gods looked kindly upon the popular event.
Katie MacDonald (The Glasgow Academy) set a course record in winning the U10s race in 9 min. 9 secs, while it was also a memorable day for girls U12 winner Jess Davidson from Albyn School, whose 10 min. 6 sec. course record for 2600m carried her to first place.
Jordanhill’s Caitlin Laing was also on top form, winning the girls’ U14 section with a course best of 13 min. 20 sec for 3300m.
Ross Horne, Director of Sport at Hamilton College said: "The Hamilton College Cross Country Championships really highlight what our school community can achieve together.
“I am grateful to the staff, parents and pupils who supported the event, which allowed us to provide an unforgettable opportunity for 405 people to run on Hamilton Park Racecourse.
“It was encouraging to see schools from across Scotland represented, with a strong standard of competition throughout the day. We were also fortunate to have excellent conditions, and I would like to extend my gratitude to Hamilton Park head groundsman Prentis Russell and his team for their preparation and support.
“It is exciting to see this event continue to grow, and even more inspiring to witness the positive impact it is having on the profile of cross-country running within schools.”
Sophie Greer, Conference and Events Co-ordinator at Hamilton Park said: “We absolutely loved hosting the Cross Country Championships at Hamilton Park. The atmosphere across the course was brilliant and it was fantastic to see the venue come alive with competitors and supporters. We’re excited to welcome the event back next year and keep building on its success.”
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