Following his run for the Great Britain Under 23 Team where he won Team Silver in the European Cross Country Championships in Slovenia on 11^th December, Shettleston Harrier, Matthew Gillespie leads Team Glasgow to compete in the IAAF Cross-country Race in Brussels on Sunday 18^th December. Matthew has been announced as team Captain in what is an exciting Race opportunity for Athletes representing Team Glasgow.

Matthew is supported in Team Glasgow by his brother Michael and ex Eritrean International Athlete, Tewoldeberhan Mengisteab Kohob.

All three men have been racing well recently with high finishes in the European Selection Race held in Liverpool on 26th November. Matthew finished in 23rd position and Michael in 44th position overall at this Race. All three male athletes had competed in the Scottish 4K Cross-county Championships hel;d at Bellahouston Park, where Matthew won the Championship, Tweldeberhan was third and Michael was 5th.

As well as entering athletes into the Senior Men’s IAAF Race; Team Glasgow Athletes will compete in the Junior Race and the Race for 16 year old males as part of the Glasgow Athletics Association, Endurance Running Legacy Programme.

In the Junior Men’s Race, Team Glasgow will be represented by Lachlan Oates (Scottish Universities Champion 2011); Luke Traynor; Jack Hamilton and Stewart Orr, all of whom finished in the first seven positions at the Scottish 4K Championships under 20 Race.

In the Boys 16 year old races; Team Glasgow will be represented by Max Aitchison; Ryan Thomson and Lewis Boyle.

Team Manager Brian Donaldson said “taking athletes to competitions such as the IAAF Brussells Cross Races is a fantastic development Opportunity for athletes of all ages. It gives young athletes the opportunity to see and to experience how the best international athletes in Scotland prepare for major races and as Glasgow prepares for the Commonwealth Games of 2014, Glasgow Athletics Association is supporting the development of our best senior athletes through offering improved competition opportunities for the senior athletes yet at the same time ensuring that the 2014 Legacy is handed onto the upcoming athletes of 2018 and beyond.”

Team Glasgow competition is provided by Glasgow Athletics Association, as part of the Association’s promotion and development of Endurance Running in Glasgow and the West of Scotland.

• Athletes were selected to compete for Team Glasgow on the basis of current form at the Scottish 4K Championships and attendance at the Glasgow Endurance Sessions
• The Glasgow Endurance Sessions are endurance based training which are designed to bring athletes together during Winter so that athletes can train in large groups. The next Endurance Session is at Alexandra Park in Glasgow on 14th January 2012 at 11am sharp. More information on ww.glasgowathletics.org.uk.
• Team Glasgow for Brussels 2011:

 Senior Men

Name of athlete - (Name of Club)

Tewoldeberhan Mengisteab Kohob – (Shettleston Harriers)

Matthew Robert Gillespie – (Shettleston Harriers)

Michael Gillespie – (Shettleston Harriers)

             Junior Men 

Name of athlete - (Name of Club)

Luke Traynor – (Giffnock North AAC)

Jack Hamilton – (Ron Hill Cambuslang)

Stuart Orr – (Ron Hill Cambuslang)

Lachlan Oates – (Shettleston Harriers)

 Youths (under 17) 

Name of athlete - (Name of Club)

Max Aitchison – (Victoria Park City Of Glasgow)

Ryan Thomson – (Ron Hill Cambuslang)

Lewis Boyle – (Victoria Park City Of Glasgow)