Next stop Harvard for Joe Ewing after breaking 50-year-old Scottish athletics record

The rapidly-improving 18-year-old has made great strides over the last couple of years under the guidance of coach Carol Sharp.

Earlier this month, he produced a fantastic 1500 metres performance, clocking 3min 47.98sec at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena in an elite, invitation-only event.

In doing so he broke the long-standing Scottish Under-20 indoors record.

Having never previously run under four minutes indoors for 1500m, Ewing was delighted with his time.

“I knew I was in shape to run fast and I was aware of the record going into the race, but didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself,” he said.

“The race went tremendously well and it was a pleasant surprise to break the record by almost half a second.”

The previous record holder was Frank Clement who enjoyed an illustrious athletics career which included a fifth-placed finish in the 1500m final at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.

Now 68, he graciously commented: “I was delighted to hear that Joe had broken my 50-year-old record. It’s great to see Scottish athletes performing so well during these difficult times.”

Ewing was well aware of the significance of the achievement and the footsteps he is following.

“Obviously it was thrilling to break the record, especially one set by someone with the pedigree of Frank Clement. But in the current circumstances of racing behind closed doors, it felt a bit more of an anti-climax than in more normal times.”

The coronavirus situation has had an impact on Ewing’s plans.

“My aim for 2021 was to qualify for the 1500m World or European Junior championships, but it currently doesn’t look likely that these will go ahead. So this year might have more of a local, domestic racing focus,” he said.

A former head boy of Edinburgh’s Stewart’s Melville College, he has also had to put his university plans on hold and he is currently taking a year out. However, in the autumn of this year he intends to embark on a four-year course of study at the prestigious Harvard University in Massachusetts, where the athletics set-up will allow him to continue to train, race and develop as an athlete.