THE youngsters of Bury Athletic Club were in fine form as they began the Greater Manchester Sportshall League season at Sport City, Manchester.

James Coghlan has consistently been Bury’s standout indoor performer over the last two years, representing Greater Manchester last year. He began the u13 boys’ season in superb form, winning the two lap race in 21.61 and the vertical jump with a leap of 53cm. He was narrowly edged out in the standing long jump, finishing second on countback after a best of 2.20m.

Bury’s u11 girls were also in fine form, taking second place overall, just 15 points behind Sale. Top performer was Grace Goodsell, who stormed to victory in the one lap race in 11.36, leapt 44cm in the vertical jump for first and was joint second in the speed bounce with a score of 50.

Charlotte Farnworth finished fifth in the three lap race and seventh in the standing long jump, while Daisy Worthington added two sixth place finishes in the same events. Valuable points were added by Natasha Renshaw with seventh in the speed bounce, Amy Garroch – eighth in the shot putt and ninth in the one lap race, Katharine Townsend 10th in the vertical jump and Lola Hughes with 14th in the shot putt. Further support for the team came from Kathleen Oliver and Dantea Leigh Nield, with Bury winning the obstacle relay and finishing a narrow second in the four x two lap relay.

Although they finished fifth in the team event, the u11 boys were only 35 points off first place. Francis Woodcock took first place in the three lap race in a time of 35.68, adding eighth place in the shot putt. Robbie Renzulli just finished outside the top three in the vertical jump with a leap of 39cm above his own height and was 15th in the shot. Tom Hayhurst performed very well in the speed bounce, finishing joint fourth with a score of 49, also taking 11th place in the one lap race. Alistair Halstead took ninth place in the vertical jump and Oliver Donnelly finished 12th in both the speed bounce and three lap race, a position match by Thomas Wilde in the one lap race. Youngsters Jay Cook and Gillie Vaughan finished 11th and 15th respectively in the standing long jump, while Callum Beckwith and Oliver Valleley contributed to the team cause with the obstacle relay team finishing second and the four x two lap team fourth.

For the u13 girls, Teegan Brady ran well for fourth place in the four lap race after finishing 13th in the two lap race. Ella Tyrell took fifth place in the standing triple jump, Rebecca Froggatt was a fine fifth in the six lap race, Hattie Vaughan sixth in the speed bounce, Ellie Carter and Evie Higgins seventh and eighth in the vertical jump respectively and Macy Clarke 17th in the four lap race. In the u15 girls’ event, Charlotte Martin finished 15th in the shot putt and vertical jump and 16th in the two lap race. Cerys Tan edged her out in the sprint race, finishing 14th and Chelsey Lee took 12th in the speed bounce.

Bury’s athletes return to cross-country action this weekend in the Red Rose League at Leverhulme Park. Races start at 12.30pm.