MetroCentre big run is just Heaps of fun!
SCHOOLS ATHLETICS THOUSANDS TAKE PART IN SALTWELL RACE
FIVE thousand children between the ages of three and 11 descended pon Gateshead’s Saltwell Park to take part in The intu MetroCentre Gateshead Schools Fun Run, organised by the Gateshead School Sport Partnership.
Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning gymnast Craig Heap started the race and was joined by the Deputy Mayor of Gateshead, Councillor Rachel Mullen.
The fun run started with a mass warm-up activity, led by Heap alongside intu MetroCentre’s popular mascots the Metrognomes.
Then participants ran in a number of waves of approximately 150200, beginning with an elite onemile run featuring 180 competitors (aged nine-10).
Nursery and reception pupils (aged three to five) completed a slighter shorter course of 0.68 miles.
The first three girls and boys in the competitive races were awarded medals, along with £20 intu Gift Cards.
First in the girls’ event was Aoife Bell, 11, of Oakfield Juniors.
Second was Annabelle Milburn, 10, of Ryton Juniors and third Hazel Richardson, 11, also of Ryton Juniors.
Ollie Harrison, 10, of Dunston Hill Community Primary took the boys’ honours ahead of Max Murray, 11, of St Joseph’s Highfield and Alastair MacGregor, 10, also of St Joseph’s Highfield.
Heap said: “It was fantastic to see so many pupils having such a great time getting fit and active in such a beautiful location.
“Hopefully this will inspire more families to run together in one of the many beautiful parks we have here in the north east.
“Sport is by far one of the most important things you can do to prepare you for life.
“It is unrealistic to think we are going to win everything but we can still have goals and achieve our personal bests.”
Oakfield Junior School’s head teacher Matthew Thompson added: “The Gateshead Fun Run is a date we all look forward to.
“It is an opportunity for the whole school to participate in the same singular sports event, regardless of ability, and enjoy competing among friends.
“The sense of achievement which each individual pupil shows in competition is a joy to see.”
Gavin Prior, regional centre director for intu MetroCentre, said: “It was a real pleasure to support Gateshead SSP with their mission to build an active and healthy future for children through PE and sport, and the fun run is a real highlight in our event calendar.”
Kevin Hay, school sport and physical activity development manager, Gateshead SSP and event manager, said: “This run is one of more than 200 events we organise for Gateshead schools each year and is one of our flagship events.
“We were delighted to have intu Metrocentre on board again this year as our headline partner.”