Kirsten McAslan (August 2017)
Kirsten McAslan has had remarkable success as a relay runner.
She was born in Manchester, on the 1st of September 1993 and, her record for the 4x400 relays is something to behold, regarding her runs for Great Britain. A bronze in the World Championships in Beijing 2015; Silver in the European Indoor in Prague in 2015; Gold in the European Under 23 in 2015 Tallinn; and a gold in the European Junior Championships in Tallinn in 2011. With that in mind, she was pleased that she was funded “it is nice to be funded and have the support of British athletics.’
To bring things more up to date, Kirsten won the 400 hurdles at the CAU Inter-County Championships included with the England Athletics Senior Championships; over the 400m hurdles on the 31/7/17. Sale Manchester’s Kirsten McAslan won the final in 57.31, after running the fastest heat in 58.10; 2nd in the final was Lina Nielsen of Enfield & Haringey in 57.94 and 3rd was Nisha Desai of Trafford AC in 58.83.
Kirsten comes in “Lane 3 was alright for me’ and added ‘I am new to the hurdles anyway. It is my third race ever over the hurdles. I hope to do a few more this season (2017) and keep going’.
Her performances as a 400 flat runner are quite impressive so, what would she single out as giving her particular satisfaction, doing the 400?
‘Winning the British Universities Championships a few years ago at Bedford in 52.4, that was good. One of my best moments was in the relays. The one that was my very best was, in the European Juniors. We won that and, I ran the anchor leg. It was a photo finish. That was the most special moment. The teams were all very close.’
When did it all begin for her?
‘When I started was at school in year 8 in cross-countries, then moved down distance (As an under 13 she did 800, 200, 150, high jump and long jump).
‘I am more a speed athlete than a long distance runner.’
She trains at Wigan with her coach Trevor Painter who coached Jenny Meadows.
‘My Father Ewan McAslan (Former Scottish international like her mother Fiona Hargreaves). He helps me with the technicalities of the hurdles a bit, as he used to dabble with the hurdles in the past.”
Kirsten did Bio Chemistry at the University of Bath a couple of years ago but now does athletics, with only a small part time job and, appears to be turning into a fine 400m hurdler. (Best Times include 11.83 w; 23.92 200; 52.13-400 in Tallinn on 9/7/15 as an Under 23.
She also was the fastest ever Scotish 600m runner with 1:26.22)