Luke Davidson echoes Eric Liddell at Scottish Championships

Luke Davidson won the 800m at the Eric Liddell Senior Scottish Championships in similar fashion to the fellow Christian whom the event is named after.

Inverness Harriers middle distance runner Davidson had wanted to run the 1500m at Grangemouth but would not compete on a Sunday, the Christian Sabbath.

He instead competed in Saturday’s event over the shorter distance and finished in one minute 53 seconds, ahead of 2023 World Para T20 1500m champion Ben Sandilands.

Scottish sprinter and rugby player Liddell famously refused to run the 100m heats at the 1924 Olympics as they were held on a Sunday but went on to win the 400m in Paris. He died while working as a missionary in China in 1945.

Scottish Athletics renamed their track and field championships after Liddell – a century after his Olympic gold and in the year when the Games returned to the French capital.

“He has always been an inspiration of mine – so I felt like him at Grangemouth in that 800m final,” Davidson told Scottish Athletics. “I am trying to follow his footsteps as best I can.

“I don’t think I was a favourite going into the 800m but middle distance races can go any way on the day.

“My faith is number one for me. I train for athletics six days a week but I don’t compete or train on Sundays.

“And on this weekend of all weekends, when Scottish Athletics named their senior champs after Eric Liddell, it felt right to win that gold.”