Hundreds of youngsters got an early taste of the sport of athletics this week when the annual Southend Primary Schools Championships were staged at the Garon Park Track.

The event was split into three sections taking place over a total of one-and-a half days and Thorpe emerged champions of group one from Chalkwell Hall with Leigh North Street third.

Take-off time - eight-year-olds Paddy Horncastle (left) from St Helen's, and Darlinghurst's Chloe Short, fail to keep their feet on the ground

Edwards Hall took the group two title from Heycroft with Our Lady of Lourdes third.

Fairways took group three from St Mary's with Eastwood filling third spot.

Today is the turn of the senior schools to enjoy their big athletics event with the staging of the annual borough sports at the Garon Park track in Eastern Avenue, Southend.

Published Friday, June 20, 2003

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