Cumbrian athlete Josh Muirhead has made history by winning high jump gold at the Scottish national championships.

The Carlisle Aspatria Athletics Club athlete’s victory in the under-17 competition meant he is the club’s first male high jump national champion for more than 25 years.

Muirhead produced an impressive performance at the 131st Scottish Athletics Senior and Under-17 Track and Field Championships, which was held at the Grangemouth Stadium.

Last Sunday’s competition saw Muirhead compete in both the high jump and long jump – with the Cumbrian beating the field in the former.

He made first-time clearances at 1.63m, 1.68m and 1.73m, putting Muirhead ahead of the rest of the athletes, who had all had at least one failure at those heights.

At 1.78m things proved challenging for all five athletes left in at that height, and though Muirhead’s heel caught the bar on all three attempts, the bar stayed on after his third jump.

This pushed him down to fourth before the judge ruled that they would go to 1.81m.

Josh Muirhead on the podiumJosh Muirhead on the podium (Image: Carlisle Aspatria AC)

Muirhead, after discussions with his coach Paul van Iterson, cleared the bar perfectly with his first attempt, equalling his personal best.

His rivals, from clubs across Scotland and Ireland, were all unable to clear 1.81m – securing the Cumbrian the title.

Muirhead’s attempts at a new PB of 1.84m saw him fall just short with his heel just dislodging the bar at his third attempt, but he had already earned his place at the top of the podium.

His efforts in the long jump, meanwhile, saw a best jump of 5.77m in the third round, which was not enough to earn him a place in the top eight for three further jumps, as Muirhead came 11th overall.