STUDENTS from local North Somerset schools made valuable contributions to the Avon Schools sports hall teams which took part in the South West regional championship, last week.

STUDENTS from local North Somerset schools made valuable contributions to the Avon Schools sports hall teams which took part in the South West regional championship, last week.

The Under-13 boys and girls teams won their competitions as did the Under-15s boys to reach the UK final to be held in Birmingham in April.

In the Under-13 boys' competition, Avon's team created a record by winning every event. Pride of place goes to Priory School student Tom Davison who won the standing triple jump with 7.12m, his first time over seven metres and then second place in the two-lap race, and then was part of the winning 4 x 2-lap race.

His school colleagues, Josh Caulfield won the shot with a first-ever put over 11m, and Kieran Manning took the speed bounce with 83 bounces. Portishead's Zach Rigby took gold in the eight-lap relay and bronze in the triple jump with 6.83m. The team won by 220 points.

The Under-13 girls got better and better after a difficult start. Katie Grinyear (Clevedon) ran superbly to win the six-lap race and then with Anicia Skeates took the eight-lap relay.

Anicia from Weston, who attends St Bedes, jumped superbly in the high jump with 1.50m to win, narrowly failing at an English record height of 1.55m.

Sophie Thomas (Worle School) ran magnificently to win the two-lap and also won the speed bounce with 84. She concluded her day by anchoring home the 4 x 2-lap relay team.

Shannon Holloway and Natalie Ogden (Backwell) made valuable contributions, finishing in the top half of their events. Sarah McEvoy (Worle) was an able reserve who recorded a fine two-metre plus jump as a non scorer.

In the Under-15 events, James Lawrence (Worle) took third place in the all-rounder competition winning the two-lap event and seeing home the relay team to secure a victory for Avon.

The Under-15 girls failed by just four points to join the other teams. After an injury to Natasha Osgood (Gordano), who had performed magnificently and Beth Wakefield (Backwell) unable to finish her race, the team showed great determination to almost make it. They are now hoping to be the highest placed second team to get through.