14-year-old Grace Ramsay has been officially selected by the Scottish Schools Athletic Association (SSAA) to represent Scotland at the SIAB Cross Country International in Wales on March 21, 2026.
This call-up follows Grace’s performance at the SSAA Secondary Schools’ Cross Country Championships in South Queensferry and is a significant recognition of her hard work this season.
At just 14 years old, Grace will be stepping up to compete in the U16s event for team Scotland against top young athletes from England, Ireland and Wales. Her selection comes on the back of a strong season where she has consistently dominated the field. She took home first place and a course record at the Glenalmond Cross Country Invitational and stood at the top of the podium again at the Strathallan Annual Cross Country Invitational.
Behind every great athlete is a performance development routine and a strong support system. When she’s not pulling on the Lathallan vest, Grace trains twice a week with Aberdeen Athletics Club, and is a familiar face at the Montrose parkrun with her family. Grace especially enjoys hitting the trails with her mum. The pair even shared the podium at the Crathes Running Festival in September, taking home 1st and 2nd place respectively.
Speaking about the moment she found out about being selected for Scotland, Grace said: “Mum and dad sat me down at dinner last night to let me know I’d been selected. I am so excited!”
When it comes to the race itself, Grace knows exactly where her strengths lie. “I like the hills,” she explained. “That really shows who’s been putting in the training and that’s when I come into my own and have the edge on the competition. But it’s also important to get a good place on the starting line – at Scottish Schools there were alot of elbows in the mix with people trying to get a strong start, so you need to think about your warm-up and positioning on that start line to run a good race.”
The SIAB Cross Country International will be held on an undulating course at the picturesque Faenol Estate in Bangor, Wales.
Lathallan Headmaster, Richard Toley, said: “Grace’s red cap is on order! At Lathallan, the Red Cap symbolises the honour of representing one’s country, and Grace has put in the hard work to earn it. After being named one of our ‘Rising Stars’ at our recent awards dinner, it is fantastic to see her take this next step onto the international stage.
These opportunities to compete at a high level teach our pupils lessons that stay with them for life. Please join us in wishing Grace the best of luck as she travels to Wales to represent Scotland. We are bursting with pride and can’t wait to see her in action.”