Dr Hellen Reith Trust athlete reflects on a standout year on the national and international stage.
Across 2024 and 2025, ASV athlete Holly Whittaker has enjoyed one of the most impressive seasons of her young career, one defined by commitment, hard work and opportunities made possible through support from the Dr Hellen Reith Trust.
Balancing school, demanding training across several locations and an intense competition calendar, Holly has continued to progress nationally in both sprints, hurdles and combined events, achieving performances that place her among the best in the UK for her age group.
A demanding schedule built on dedication
Holly’s training schedule reflects both her commitment and her growing maturity as an athlete.
Each week, she works with coach Frank Gauld at ASV, refining her hurdles and multi-event technique, while Friday sessions in Knockando with Margery Swinton focus on long jump and the wider demands of combined events.
Earlier in the year, she was part of the Grampian Athlete Development Programme, travelling to Lossiemouth for strength and conditioning before moving these sessions to ASV after the summer.
With a packed competition calendar, careful planning between Holly, her parents and coaches helped balance preparation and recovery throughout the season.
She also attended specialist sessions at Grangemouth and the Emirates Arena ahead of the Schools Home International Pentathlon, and joined a national relay development day for the U20 and Senior Women’s squads in late November.
A season of standout achievements
Holly describes the last six months as “the most amazing season”, and with good reason. She has competed in Germany, Chelmsford, Loughborough, Derby and Birmingham, as well as across Scotland in national heptathlon and relay event – and delivered success at every stage.
A major turning points came early in the season. With support from the Dr Hellen Reith Trust, Holly and her father travelled to compete at the Chelmsford Hurdlesfest.
Racing against many of the UK’s top hurdlers, she won the U17 event in 10.96 seconds, breaking a 44-year-old Scottish record and setting the second-fastest U17 time ever recorded in the UK.
“It was better than I could have wished for...the result set me up for the whole season – and it wouldn’t have happened without the Trust’s support.” – Holly Whittaker
From there, her momentum only grew:
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Her Scotland U20 4x100m relay team broke the Scottish record in Mannheim
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She became Scottish U17 Heptathlon Champion for the second consecutive year
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She won three medals for Scottish Schools in Derby.
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She achieved double English Champion status with golds in the 80m Hurdles and Long Jump
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She claimed a gold, silver and bronze at the Scottish U20 Championships
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She then achieved triple gold at the Scottish U17 Championships
Her season-best marks now place her among the most successful U17 athletes in Scotland’s history:
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10.89 seconds in the 80m hurdles – a new UK U17 record
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11.88 seconds in the 100m – 5th on Scotland’s U17 all-time list
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6.03m in the long jump – 4th on Scotland’s all-time list
Finishing the year strong
Holly closed out her 2025 season with an exceptional showing at the SIAB Home International Pentathlon on 6 December.
She finished as the SIAB U18 Champion, earned the Scottish Best Performance trophy, and contributed to Scotland’s U18 team bronze. She also achieved 4 personal bests out of the 5 events on the day, including a 6.12m long jump.
Just a week earlier, Holly was presented with the Scottish Athletics U17 Athlete of the Year award at their annual dinner in Glasgow.
The role of support and opportunity
For Holly and her family, the support of the Dr Hellen Reith Trust has been transformative. It opened the door to key competition opportunities and removed barriers that often make competing at the highest level challenging.
The Trust’s backing also reflects a wider community effort: expert coaching at ASV, access to high-quality facilities and strong relationships between athletes, families, development programmes and national pathways.
Looking ahead
Holly now looks ahead to her 2026 season as she continues her transition into the U20 age group. With the foundations built across 2024–25, she is well placed to continue her development and take on new challenges in the year ahead.
Her season serves as an inspiring example of what young athletes can achieve when talent, hard work and community support come together, and a reminder of the impact trusts and charitable partnerships can have on helping athletes reach their potential.
Continued support for ASV helps ensure programmes and trusts like these can keep opening doors for young athletes and giving them the opportunities they need to thrive.
Learn more about the Hellen Reith Trust and the work it does.
