THE region’s school athletes had mixed fortunes in the second edition of the UK School Games in Coventry. Competing for the North East against the other eight English regions and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at under-17 level, local athletes won three events, as they did 12 months ago when the first UK School Games were held in Scotland. Laura Weightman, of the Duchess’ School in Alnwick, went into the race as favourite, having won the title last year. She produced another superb performance to win the 1,500m to add to the English Schools’ title she won last month. Weightman won in a new personal best time of 4min 26.02sec, knocking nearly three seconds off her previous best. Niall Flannery (Newcastle RGS) also went into the 400m hurdles as favourite, having won the English Schools title and being way ahead of his rivals in the UK rankings. Flannery didn’t disappoint. After winning his heat in 53.45 seconds he scorched round to win the final in 52.57sec and, like Weightman, ran a lifetime best. Ross Murray (Thomas More RC, North Shields) made it a treble for the North East as he battled to win the 1,500m in 4:01.48. In the 3,000m, Kate Avery was just run out of it and had to be content with second place behind Northern Ireland’s Ciara Mageean, who won in 9:51.06 against Avery’s 9:52.24. Sally Scott cleared 3.55m in the pole vault, the same height as the winner. However, she was pushed into second place on countback. English Schools’ triple jump bronze medallist Chloe Gill finished in third place once again, although she did improve her pb to 11.54m. Emma Toogood made the final of the 800m and ran a lifetime best of 2:15.47 for eighth place. Emma Pringle improved her pb by one centimetre in the shot competition, while Kayleigh Mills’ 36.23m in the javelin was also a personal best. Matthew Davison finished fifth in the final of the 100 metres, while Tim Parkin cleared a new pb of 4.15m in the pole vault for sixth place. Results NE RESULTS – UNDER-17 MEN: 100m: M Davison (5) 11.24. 400m: A Rowland (11) 52.90. 1,500m: R Murray (1) 4:01.48. 3,000m: P Hurst (8) 9:12.38. 400m hurdles: N Flannery (1) 52.57. 1,500m s/chase: K Taylor (7) 4:36.05. Long jump: E Gill (12) 5:80m. Triple jump: E Gill (9) 12:69m. High jump: A Burnell (8) 1:86m. Pole vault: T Parkin (6) 4:15m. Shot: A Harle (12) 10:66m. Discus: G Fairburn (12) 32:88m. Javelin: A Harle (8) 50:20. Hammer: G Fairburn (12) 30:08. UNDER-17 WOMEN: 100m: J Kennedy (12) 13.16. 200m: K Blaylock (12) 26:82. 300m: N Pearson (3) 40:19. 800m: E Toogood (8) 2:15.47. 1,500m: L Weightman (1) 4:26.02. 3,000m: K Avery (2) 9:52.24. 80m hurdles: L Walsh (10) 12.24. 300m hurdles: A Fleming (9) 47.34. Long jump: A Dobson (11) 4:79m. Triple jump: C Gill (3) 11:54m. High jump: J Baker (6) 1:62m. Pole vault: S Scott (2) 3:55m. Shot: E Pringle (10) 10:29m. Discus: T Breen (6) 34:04. Javelin: K Mills (5) 36:23m. Hammer: P Maddison (10) 30:82m. | 
