Youngsters from south Essex schools enjoyed running, jumping and sprinting themselves into the ground at an indoor athletics day at Greensward College.

The college joined forces with Southend Athletics Club to put more than 50 children through their paces during the meeting. Youngsters aged from ten to 14 competed against each other in a series of different events, which included indoor runs of two, four and six laps, plus relays.

The young athletes needed a spring in their heels as well, as they took part in a succession of gruelling high, vertical, triple and long jumps. All of which left Greensward's Tony Mescall beaming, following another successful sporting event staged at his school.

"Thanks to the help of Southend Athletics Club's Peter Winch we have been able to provide another day of quality athletic competition for the children taking part," he said.

"Southend Athletics Club were extremely impressed with the new facilities we have on offer to our youngsters at Greensward. But it was also nice to give children from other schools across south Essex the chance to benefit from our equipment as well.

"Everybody enjoyed the days events and we look forward to even bigger numbers next year."

Most successful in the under-11 age group was Southend's Zoe Young, who won four events convincingly and was equal first in a fifth. She took the two and four lap races, the vertical jump and standing long jump and tied in the speed bounce.

Bill Sceats took the under-11 boys' two-lap race in 33.9 seconds and captured the four-lap in 1m.15.4s.

A fine high jump of 1.35m gave the under-13 girls' high jump to Andrea Noble. Lucy Singer, among a strong contingent from Greensward, took the girls' standing long jump with 2.10m and was second in the six-lap race with 1m. 37.3s.

Greensward boys also beat off the competition with Matt French scoring a win in the standing long jump with 2.18. A high quality vertical jump of 55 centimetres gave George Chipper vertical jump success - as did a high jump of 1.40m from Simon Hemmings.

An exciting under-15 two-lap spring was won by Chris Dorrington in 24.8s and he was also second in the standing long jump with 2.23.

Many of the winners will now compete in the Essex team selection trials next month for places in the national finals. This was the first sports hall athletics event held in the area for many years.

Leap year - for Greensward's Rob Hutchins in the vertical jump

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.