A small team of Bury athletes travelled to Lancaster last week to compete in the third fixture of the Mid Lancs Track and Field League.

The standout performances came from two of the under-15 boys. Ben Clarke was once again the victor in the javelin with a best throw of 44.61m, while multi-eventer, Oliver Cooper, won the shot with a best putt of 11.54m and also took second place in the 400m with 59.7secs - a new personal best. Team-mate Jakub Purzycki was third in the 400m with 60.9 and also took sixth in the 800m with 2:31.3 - just outside his best. Harry Dada March placed seventh in the 100m (12.8) and fourth in the 200m (26.5). In the U13 boys’ competition, Zac Buckley placed 13th in the 100m (15.1) and Ethan Statham took second in the 1500m (5:02.2) and 10th in the 200m (31.2). Alexander Hannay was the sole senior competitor, taking an excellent third in the 3,000m in 10:29.5.

For the U15 girls, Faye Gribbin won the 300m with 45.1, with Agatha Wragg in second in 45.6. Isabella Robinson placed seventh with 48.7.

In the 200m, Isabella placed sixth, with 29.0, and Agatha was seventh with 29.1. Carraghen Spence placed ninth with 29.3.

In the U13 girls’ events, Thea Golby-Thomson took 17th in the 100m with 14.9 and Annabelle Hinze was 20th, with 15.3. Thea was back on the track for the 200m where she placed 13th overall in 31.8. Lydia Blackmore took 19th with 35.1, while Annabelle competed in the shot event and took an excellent third with 6.09.

The week also saw the Greater Manchester Schools Athletics Association announcing the athletes selected to compete at the prestigious English Schools’ Championships to be held in Birmingham this weekend. Ben Clarke will compete in the junior boys’ javelin competition where he is currently ranked fourth in the UK. Oliver Cooper will take part in the pole vault competition where he ranks third in the UK, while Peter Gardner competes as a first-year senior boy over the 400m hurdles, in which he is currently ranked 22nd in the UK.

Club captain, Byron Edwards, having celebrated a significant birthday in March, travelled to Halifax to compete in their 10k race which was incorporating the Northern Masters championships over the distance. He completed the course in a very respectable 37:05 which sees him crowned as the North of England champion in the M50 age group.

Several Bury athletes tested themselves at the 5k parkrun at Heaton Park.

Paul Johnston took third with 17:45, Rob Fowler was sixth (18:28) and Curtis Simpson 16th (19:06).

Katie Geelan showed she is returning to fine form by placing first woman finisher with 19:39, and Alia Braithwaite was third woman with 20:34. Sarah Thomas was fifth (20:52) and Sarah Flett sixth (20:58).

Oscar Armstrong was first junior, with 21:05, and new member Max Worsley was first 10-year-old in a new best of 21:27.