Allan Smith's 2014 sparkled with promise but fizzled disappointingly out.
European Under-23 high jump gold was claimed, then the UK title also came home to roost. The Commonwealths and Europeans passed, however, without him. Opportunities lost. But the 22-year-old appears intent on making up for lost time with a fine start to 2015 that continued today with victory at the Scottish Indoor Championships in Glasgow in a new native record.
While the triumph was solely his, the mark of 2.25 metres was shared with David Smith. Both fell short in their attempts to clear four centimetres more and secure the qualifying standard for next month's Europeans in Prague.
Formerly training partners in Birmingham under the eye of UK Athletics jumps coach Fuzz Ahmed, they now work separately with Allan now back in his native South Queensferry and renewing his partnership with Bryan Roy.
"I'm happy to be home," he said. "I've no harsh feelings towards my old coach but I'm enjoying myself here. I've just tried to push on with the same game plan while staying injury-free." The approach appears to be working with his targets still ambitious for the spring and summer beyond amid a Caledonian contest that also includes Ray Bobrownicki.
"I was disappointed not to jump the standard here," Smith added. "It is a goal but now it will get decided at the trials in two weeks. It makes it easier when the competition's on. It spurs you on when there are three guys still going at the height you want to jump. It pushes everyone on."
Next stop for the trio, and for others here, the European trials in Sheffield in 12 days' time. For Zoey Clark, despite a double success over 60m and 200m, there are alternative goals. "I hope it bodes well for the summer," the 20-year-old Aberdonian said. "I've been doing lots of speed work but to come at it from a 200m aspect . . . I'm looking forward to outdoors."
So too might the runner-up in the shorter sprint, 15-year-old Alisha Rees, who missed Linsey Macdonald's long-standing Scottish Under-17 record by a mere three-hundredths of a second.
With Cameron Tindle and Ryan Oswald pulling out injured, Alec Thomas took the men's 60m title in 6.98 seconds, and Myles Edwards stepped up the pace on the closing lap to take 1500m victory. And while UK medallist Sarah Warnock comfortably defended her long jump crown, 16-year-old heptathlon hopeful Rachel Alexander improved her lifetime best four times to secure bronze and hint at the potential for more.
Elsewhere, Chris O'Hare was second over 1500m in the Armory Meeting in New York while Laura Muir bagged runners-up spot in the 3000m in Karlsruhe, setting a personal best of 8:49.73.
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