MGardner

Last updated 01:00, Wednesday, 11 July 2007

Primary Schools County ATHLETICS Championship

Report byPatrick Hill

WIGTON schoolgirl Abbie Hetherington finished top of the class at the Primary Schools County Championships at the Sheepmount.

The 11-year-old athlete cruised to victory in the 600 metres and then helped overall winners Thomlinson Junior School win the relay.

“She’s a club athlete and it really showed,” said Joanna McLean, who organised the event in conjunction with the Carlisle & North Cumbria Sport Partnership.

“She crossed the line as the third-place athlete was still going round the final bend,” added Thomlinson Junior School head teacher Doug Hardy.

Abbie’s classmate Natasha Wilson, also 11, finished second in the 600 and was also part of the relay team that blasted past the rest of the competition over 150 metres.

Thomlinson Juniors were crowned overall champions following a string of top class performances by their young athletes.

Beth McPhee, 11, won the girls long-jump, 11-year-old Adam Pritchard won the boys long-jump, while Andrew Hill, also 11, finished third in the 600 metres.

More than 300 fledgling athletes competed in 16 events at the one-day event which was contested by 20 Cumbrian schools.

They included Belle Vue, Caldew Lea, Cummersdale, St Monica’s, High Hesket, Inglewood, Houghton, Ivegill, King Moor Juniors, Newlaithes Juniors, Pennine Way, Petterill Bank, Robert Ferguson, Rockcliffe, Stanwix, Thursby, Thomlinson Junior School, Upperby, Yewdale and Longtown.

“It was a fantastic day and we were even lucky to get the sun,” added organiser Joanna McLean.

Thomlinson Juniors were crowned overall champions after narrowly beating St Monica’s by just half a point.

St Monica’s won the boys category, Belle Vue were girls champions, while Cummerdale won the small schools class.