Athletics

Having qualified by winning their respective events early in the month, they battled it out against 15 opponents from eight regions. Anthony Brown was a close second in the 100m with a personal best of 13.5 into a head wind - the same time as the winner.

In the 800m Andrew Thompson bravely won a silver medal in 2.24.6 after a storming first lap in which he set the pace with a blistering first 200m in just 31 seconds. Finishing strongly in third place was Khalil Thompson with a personal best of 2:26.6.

All three won medals, T-shirts and gift vouchers for sports goods as well selection for the Gateshead team. They will represent Gateshead in a special challenge against a representative team from Newcastle as a curtain raiser to the Norwich Union Classic when many of the world's top athletes will be competing at the Gateshead venue on August 19.

The Shildon athletes also won tickets for themselves and their families to what promises to be an athletics day to remember.

The day before Ian Davey and Victoria Finn travelled down to Bedford for the AAA Under-20 and Under-23 championships. Victoria finished a very creditable sixth in the Under-20 400m running a personal best of 58.4 seconds. Ian finished a comfortable second in his heat of the Under-20 800m to qualify for the final on the Saturday. The final turned out to be a scrappy slow run race with Ian unfortunately being caught out when the pace quickened, eventually finishing sixth in 1:59.94. On Sunday, July 1 the club's young athletes competed at the final fixture of the McDonald's Boys League held at the Eastbourne complex, Darlington, one of the highlights of the club's performance was treble winner due partnership of Andrew Thompson and Warren Roberts in the Under-13 boys 100m, 1500m and long jump. Andrew running the A events and Warren running the B events won all their events also another creditable performance was that of Tom Carroll just returning from injury in the Under-17 200m with a grade two winning time of 23.4 giving Tom the track man of the match award and helping the club to finishing runners-up to Gateshead B and gain promotion.

Match results: Gateshead B 321 points; Shildon 247; Carlisle 217; Wallsend 139; South Shields 56; Durham 53; Darlington 53.

Final League placings: Gateshead B 26 points; Shildon 25; Carlisle 21; Wallsend 16; Darlington 9; Durham 7; South Shields 5.

l Anyone requiring details about joining the club which trains at the Stadium 2000 track at Shildon should contact secretary N Stockley on (01388) 776083.

New Marske Harriers

The young boys and girls athletes were in track and field in action at the weekend. The boys were at Darlington in the McDonald's YAL A event.

Results - Under-13s: 200m Richard Lowe 6th, 31.8; 800m, Richard Lowe 7th, 2:49.2; 1500m, Peter Quine, 4th, 5:43.2; Shot Matthew Coote 3rd, 4.88m; long jump Graeme McPherson 4th, 2.79m. B event: 200m, Matthew Coote 6th, 35.3; 1500m Graeme McPherson 2nd, 6:00.2; long jump Peter Quine 4th, 3.25.

Under-15s: 100m Michael Morton 5th, 14.00; 200m James Fahey 6th, 32.00; 400m Mark Liddle 6th, 64.8; 800m Michael Morton 5th 2.31; 3000m James Fahey 4th 11:26.1; 80m H Mark Liddle 3rd 19.1; hammer Ian McPherson 6th, 15.08; javelin Adam Walker 4th 24.56; high jump Mark Liddle 4th, 1.35; discus Ian McPherson 4th, 15.9; long jump Stuart MacDonald 4th 4.56; shot Adam Walker 3rd, 9.16. B Event: 100m Adam Walker 5th 14.2; long jump Ian McPherson 4th, 3.92; shot James Fahey 5th, 5.52.

Under-17s: 100m Daniel Tams 5th, 13.00; 200m Steven Clapton 6th, 27.2; 100m H Paul Walton 2nd, 15.8; hammer Richard Cook 3rd, 19.28; high jump Paul Walton 2nd, 1.55; triple jump Paul Walton 2nd, 11.15; long jump Richard Cook 4th, 4.74; shot Daniel Tams 1st, 11.66; discus Daniel Tams 6th, 25.96. B events: long jump Alastair Scoffin 2nd, 4.73; shot, Alastair Scoffin 1st, 10.68; discus Alastair Scoffin 3rd, 27.73.

Laurence Jackson School

The Junior Boys Athletics team did themselves proud as they attended the Sky Sports Track and Field National Schools Cup Final at Basildon last weekend.

The team began on the track events and some outstanding performances saw the team in the lead after all the track events had been completed. The strength of the other schools came through in the field events and the school eventually finished eighth of the 12 finalists.

Individually, Scott Allison (100m) and Aaron Motson (400m), won in these events while Scott Dixon (1500m) and Carl Glass (800m) improved their best times significantly. Overall the team have done very well to finish eighth in a competition that begins with an entry from 600 schools.

Elvet Striders

Otwo Striders made it to the Castle Eden canter, a midweek trail race starting from the visitor centre at Thorpe Thewles on the Castle Eden walkway.

The seven mile race went as far as the new footbridge over the A689 road and back onto the railway walkway with a loop around the edge of a wood. A short steep climb towards the end of the race tested tired legs then the run in to the finish was a fast flat section were spectators gathered on the old station platform to cheer on the runners.

Results: 5th Paul Dunn 43:14, 24th John Hutchinson 50:52.

Mandale Harriers

Although without their star British international Chris Tomlinson who was performing brilliantly in Germany and Neil Jennings, who has his eyes set on the World Student Games in China, Mandale Harriers finished second in the North of England Knockout Cup at Darlington to qualify for the final in August.

They finished runners-up to the British league club Morpeth, but held off Border Harriers ranked fifth in the UK.

Robert Cole was the only individual winner taking the 3000m steeplechase and the other win came in the 4x100m where Paul Campbell ran another brilliant anchor stage bringing the baton home in 44.65.

The team needed to finish ahead of Border in the 4x400m relay and a fine performance by the four youngsters brought the squad home in second place just behind Morpeth.

Northern League KO Cup men: 100m M Harman 4th (11.9); 200m M Harman 3rd (23.3); 400m M Charlton 3rd (51.7); 800m A Lowery 4th (1:59.4); 1500m D Balwin 6th (*44.27); 5000m J Orange 4th (16:50.15); 110m H P Wardingham 2nd (16.9); 400m H K Allinson 2nd (58.3); 3000 s/c R Cole 1st (9:36.4); 4x100m Mandale 1st (44.6); 4x400m Mandale 2nd (3:34.2);10000m G Bell 4th (39:34.2); Long jump C Burnside 4th (5.36); High jump M Charlton 5th (1.55); Triple jump C Mason 4th (10.99); Shot putt P Mason 6th (7.81); Discus P Mason 5th (24.67); Javelin C Mason 5th (28.99).

Match: 1 Morpeth 109; 2 Mandale 105; 3 Border 102; 4 Durham 98; 5 Gateshead 97; 6 Middlesbrough and Cleveland 96

The Under-20 junior men's team further increased their lead at the top of the table with another fine victory at Clairville Stadium.

Peter Vickers was again the star of the sprints with victories in 11.1 and 22.6 with Matthew Harman winning both of his races.

Paul Wardingham won both his hurdle races and Anthony Bibby, although an Under-17, won the long and triple jump events and set one of the best times ever by a 16-year-old, all in the hurdles.

Other wins came from Paul White, Paul Mason, Ged Smith, I Herring and M Charlton.

The next fixture is at York with the final fixture being at Clairville in August when the play-off places will be determined