Teen runner Scott's report wins him dream trip to the Olympics

Jun 1 2008 By Steve Dinneen

YOUNG athlete Scott Molloy's Olympic dream has come true after he won a trip of a lifetime to the Beijing games.

The cross-country runner will set off for China's capital in August, thanks to the Sunday Mail and McDonald's.

We asked young sports fans to write a report on their favourite Olympian - and 13-year-old Scott, of Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow, picked up the top prize.

He wrote a brilliant account of Ethiopian superstar runner Kenenisa Bekele winning this year's IAAF World Cross-Country Championships in Edinburgh despite losing a shoe five minutes into the race.

Scott, a 10k runner for Kirkintilloch Olympians, will join four other youngsters from across the UK in China as a guest of official Beijing 2008 Olympic Games sponsor McDonald's.

He said: "This is going to be brilliant. I read about the competition in my dad's Sunday Mail and wrote about Kenenisa.

"He's my hero and the reason I got into cross-country running. It'smy dreamto be an Olympic athlete so to go to the Games is going to be an amazing experience.

"Kidsmy age should be much more into athletics. Then there wouldn't be the problemswe have with things like obesity."

Scott will attend Olympic events and take part in a sightseeing city tour. But the excitement has already started as he met Olympic champ James Cracknell last week.

The double-gold-winning rower paid a visit to Scott's school, Turnbull High in Bishopbriggs, to tell pupils how to achieve their goals.

James said: "It's great to go to schools and meet grassroots talent like Scott.

"He's very dedicated and wants to be a world-class runner, which is fantastic.

"This competition was all about trying to get kids active, which is so important in this age of video games and TV.

"The piece Scott wrote was brilliant."

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SCOTT'S REPORT:

For most people, losing a shoe at the start of a race would be game over - not so for Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele.

The "Great Man" recovered his loss of almost 40 places to come back and win the World Cross Country Championships for the sixth world record breaking time.

Bekele's preparation toward the Beijing 2008 Olympics included the World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh on Sunday March 30.

He had previously won the title five times since 2002.

Running strongly in the top pack, disaster struck as Bekele lost his shoe at the three kilometre point with nine still to go.

The crowd watched anxiously as he lost almost 40 places getting his shoe back on.

With grit and determination he slowly gained places to bring him back to the top pack.

With a lead of ten seconds Bekele was crowned the World Cross Country Champion.

His long-standing rivalry with Eritrea's Zersenay Tadese was firmly put to rest as his rival was significantly beaten into third place.

Kenyan Leonard Patrick Komon took the runners up position.

This title can now be added to Bekele's long string of achievements including a 5000m Olympic silver medal and a 10,000 Olympic gold secured in the Athens 2004 Games.

His world records include the 5,000m and 10,000m outdoor as well as several indoor records.

It is safe to say that Bekele's hard word and training is bringing results.

His focus and determination is an inspiration to young athletes around the world.

It is with excitement that we now look towards the 2008 Beijing Olympics to see what this "Great Man" can deliver.