BURY AC athletes had some winning performances when the club hosted the Greater Manchester track and field championships for the first time its history.

The most prominent performance came from Brandon Quinton, running in the 3,000m.

The officials had combined the under-17s, u20 and senior athletes into one race, with Brandon, as an u17, running against far more experienced athletes and winning in a personal best time of 9mins 12.05secs.

Jay Cook had a busy weekend, winning four medals. He took the silver in the pole vault (2.10m) and bronzes in the 80m hurdles (15.10), discus (23.89) and javelin (23.76) evidencing his growing skills as a multi-eventer.

The 400m proved to be Bury’s most successful event with Michael Hunter taking a gold in the senior men’s competition (56.60) and Kamili Bell gold in the u20 men’s race (53.25). Bronze medals went to Oliver Kirby (u20 58.12), Nicola Harland (senior women 68.54) and Jenna Allen-Cartwright (u20 66.22).

Lizzi Cheshire, Bury’s women’s team captain, made it a double gold in the long jump (4.66) and triple jump (9.58) and Katie Geelan scooped gold in the women’s 3,000m (11.54).

Silver medals went to Hattie Vaughan, in the u17 women’s pole vault, returning to form with a 3.40 clearance; Ben Coop, in the senior 800m (1.59.38); Rocco Goosen, in the u11 75m (11.79) and long jump (3.77); Mariela Digiola in the women’s 200m (28.92); Ella Hall in the u15 shot (9.04) and Oliver Rostron in the u15 hammer (21.55).

Meanwhile, bronze medals went to Thomas Donnelly in the u11 600m (2.07); Christie Cook in the women’s 800m (2.22): Joshua Birmingham in the men’s 1500m (4.33.64); the Bury u15 girls’ relay team; Ruth Worthington in the women’s hammer (21.59); Emily Chadwick in the u15 hammer (19.43) and Reilly Carson in the u13 javelin (16.38).

This weekend Bury’s younger athletes compete in the Youth Development League (Lower) fixture at Litherland in Merseyside where they will seek to consolidate their current second position.

Elsewhere, it was a frustrating fifth position for Bury in the opening Northern League fixture of the year, held at Blackburn, finishing a frustrating four and a half points behind Spenborough.

There are three remaining fixtures and Bury must secure fourth position or above to avoid relegation to the third division.

Bury counted just two winners of specific events – Nicola Quick in the pole vault and Daisy Worthington in the triple jump.

However new PBs were achieved by sprinters Emmanuel Mufakazi (100m and 200m), Hashim Shah (200m) and Teegan Brady (100m).

Hattie Vaughan recovered from the disappointment in her pole vault to set new bests in the 100m and 100m hurdles.  Kamili Bell (400m and 800m), Byron Edwards (1500m and 500m), Beverley McAuley (3000m),  Paul Johnston (500m), Charlotte Speakman-Farnworth (100m hurdles and 400m hurdles), Michael Hunter (110m hurdles) and Anthony Hallahan (3000m steeplechase) also set new lifetime bests.

In the field events there were new bests for Daisy Worthington (long jump and triple jump), Ella Tyrell (triple jump), Paul Horrocks (shot), Alison Dale (shot, discus, hammer and javelin) and Heledd Rimmer (javelin).

A large Bury contingent travelled to Trafford for the first of four Cheshire League meetings.

Individual victories were limited with just Jena Dickinson (100m and B shot), Ella Hall (A shot), Jay Cook (discus) and the u13 boys' sprint  relay squad scoring maximum points.

However, there were a large number of lifetime best performances including, in the sprint distances, Archie Hall, Tom Gibson and Jemima Miles (75m); Amy Garroch, Ella Hall, Jena Dickinson, Grace Gibson and Devonne Samuels (100m) and Jacob Allen, Noah Carter and Albert Cottam (200m).

In the distance events there were new bests for Thomas Donnelly and Corrine Newton (600m); Joshua Birmingham, Alison Dale, Freya Potts, Erin Garroch, Reilly Carson and Esther McGrath (800m); Gil Vaughan and Matthew Lowe (1500m) and Byron Edwards (3,000m).

There were also plenty of new bests set in the field events including Rosella Togo and Catherine Russell (high jump); Summer Whitfield and Lola Potts (long jump); Jayden Barlow, Scarlet Hamilton and Holy Crow (shot); Jay Cook, Leah Hancock, Connie Potts and Anna Gisbourne (discus) and Katherine Towsend (javelin).