Recent recruit Steph Twell has pulled out of her Scotland debut in Wednesday’s Falkirk Cup in Grangemouth due to injury.

Twell announced recently she will race for Scotland in next year’s Commonwealth Games due to her Scottish mother.

The 20-year-old has endured a tough last week, failing to make her way out of her 1500m World Championships heat in Berlin when she finished 12th in a time 15 seconds off her best.

Twell was due to run the anchor 800metres in the medley relay in Grangemouth but will not be fit enough to make the trip.

Claire Gibson will captain the Scottish team that is set to face England, Ethiopia, Ireland and a Bank of Scotland Development team on August 26.

Gibson blasted to a new personal best 800m time at the BMC Grand Prix in Cardiff on August 15 but will face tough competition from World Youth Championships finalist, Ethiopia’s Tizita Bogale and fellow scot Jenny Tan.

Another woman in form will be 16-year-old Sarah Kelly who has also notched lifetime best performances this summer in both the 800 and 1500m as well as the taking the Bank of Scotland Under-17 title.

The Scottish team will also pin their hopes on shot put star Alison Rodger to help fire them to victory.

The 24-year-old gained valuable GB experience at the SPAR European Team Championships in Portugal in June but will have her work cut out with English European under 23 gold medallist Eden Francis rolling into town.

But arguably the most exciting race of the event will be the 400m with double Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorious guest starring against the able bodied athletes.

Gibson’s Scottish team will face England, Ethiopia, Ireland and a Bank of Scotland Development team.


Scotland hasn’t tasted defeat in the Falkirk Cup since 2005 but will have to launch this year’s challenge without the Aldershot-based runner Twell.