ATHLETES GET A FLYING START TO BID FOR NATIONAL TITLE

The intermediate girls’ athletics squad is flying off to Newcastle next week to represent the south west in the national finals of the English Schools’ Track and Field Cup after winning their regional heat.

Personal bests from both Mia Finton and Hannah Seal in the newly introduced triple jump and another from Katie Paxman who switched from discus to javelin this season put them well ahead at the end of the field events, the team’s forte.

But by the final event of the track section they were just one point ahead of hosts Millfield.

It was touch and go but the squad of Year 9 and 10 pupils managed to improve on their lead and beat eventual runners up, The Godolphin School, Wiltshire by ten points.

‘They have worked very hard and deserve their success. It seems that extra time preparing for the season while we were trapped by the volcanic ash cloud in Lanzarote paid dividends!’ said PGS coach Mrs Mandy Day.

Many of the squad were among senior school pupils who spent four extra days warm weather training in the La Santa resort in April due to the crises.

‘The triple jump was introduced to this competition for the first time this year so Mia and Hannah did particularly well to achieve personal bests and Emily Gunn was just 1cm of improving her personal best at javelin’, said Mrs Day.

The squad of 13 girls and four PE staff will fly to Newcastle on Friday July 2 for the competition at Gateshead International Stadium on Saturday July 3.