Primary school team wins the county title at third attempt

ASHBOURNE Primary School’s young athletes have defied the odds in several sporting contests but they topped the lot with an outright win at the Derbyshire Schools Games in Bakewell.

The event, in which Ashoburne had won the right to represent Derbyshire Dales, was in a Quad Kids Athletics format, which consists of a 75m sprint, standing long jump, howler javelin throw and a 600m run.

The Derbyshire Schools Games brings children together from all of the county districts and, this year, they all travelled to Mount St Mary’s College at Spinkhill, north of Chesterfield.

The event was launched by recently-retired Derbyshire Olympic cyclist Nikki Brammier before more than 1,000 young athletes got started on their events.

Ashbourne’s George Padden, Jake Robson and Alec Sheppard all recorded huge personal bests in their 600m run, going under two minutes 10 seconds for the first time.

Noah Haines and Asinja Lourie excelled in their favoured sprint event, while recording respectable times in their 600m run.

Sound throwing and a brilliant standing long jump rounded off an outstanding performance from all of the boys.

The girls – Anna Mageste, Tia Bulica, Maya Jurska, Phoebe Tilsley and Maggie Welsh – went out and proved that they are some of the best all-round athletes for their age in the county.

They completed a whitewash of five individual wins in the 75m.

Mageste produced a huge two-metre jump in the long jump, backed up by high scores from her team-mates.

In the 600m, Welsh led from gun to tape for victory.

Jurska won her heat in a sprint finish from 200m to go, passing four rivals and finishing 20m clear.

Tilsley kept a cool head in her 600m race, settling into her running on the first lap and gliding away to victory in under two minutes.

Bulica sent the javelin beyond 25m for her victory.

In all, the children competed with a confidence and humility that seemed beyond their 11 years.

They had finished second at this event for the last two years, so victory has come at the third attempt.

It was an extra-special day for Tilsley, who was crowned individual girls’ champion for the second year running.

Millie Lamb, Julia Jurska, James Godfrey, Jordan Day and Isabella Margiotta were not their for the final but all played a part as the school qualified as part of the squad in previous rounds.

“It was a cracking end to the year and a success I will be talking about for a very long time!” said the children’s teacher, Chris Peach. ASHBOURNE Walking Football Club are going from strength to strength, four years after starting out as a community project.

This season, they will be playing in new sponsored kit, courtesy of Mick Barclay and the Longcliffe Community Fund, which is organised by the gravel company of Hulland Ward.

“Our aim is to continue to grow our club not just within our own community but at national level as well,” said organiser Andy Mottershead.

“We have progressed beyond our expectations to the stage where we will be running three competitive teams at over-50s, over-60s and over-65s alongside our friendly team next season.

“We train every Monday at Ashbourne Leisure Centre from 11.30am-1pm and new players of all abilities are always welcome. Just turn up and play for £3.”