It has been a busy weekend for some of Bury Athletic Club’s junior athletes as several competed in the Greater Manchester Schools Track and Field Championships at Stretford on Saturday and then represented Bury in the second Northern League fixture in Blackpool on Sunday, writes Mark Granby.

The junior representation and the commitment of a number of senior athletes and volunteers resulted in an excellent outcome for the team as they finished runners up, just two points behind the host Blackpool and Fylde team. The result places Bury at the top of the league with two fixtures remaining.

For the men there were winning performances from Conor Wilkinson (B 800 2mins 05.9secs), Martin Clark (A 5000 15:58.2), Giles Bennett (B 3000 steeplechase 12:47.8), Peter Gardner (A 400 hurdles 64.9 and B triple jump 10.59m), Jay Cook (A long jump 5.81m), Harvey Rossington-Rose (B long jump 5.60m).

These included a number of personal best performances. Combined event specialist Natan Witkowski scored valuable points as did throwers Michael Arain and Gil Vaughan. Sprinters Akshay Malhotra, Adam Warren and Hashim Shah performed well, as did middle distance runners Ben Coop and Sam Smyth. Paul Johnston proved to be a real team stalwart competing in throws events as well as the 1500m.

Team captain Hannah Lucas lead by example, winning the A 800m (2:29.2) and A 3000m (10:35.4) as well as competing in the 200m and both relay events. Beverley McAuley was also a superb member of the team, winning the B 400m hurdles (92:7) as well as earning points in the 100m hurdles and unfamiliar shot and hammer competitions. Other individual victories came for Rachel Marshall (B 1500m 5:36.6), Sarah Thomas (B 3000m 11:41.9), Ella Watson (B triple jump 8.25m) and Reilly Carson (A javelin 30.17m) and Rosella Togo (senior girls long jump 5.22m).

It was in the women’s team that our emerging talent made a real difference with brilliant performances from Nicole Palmer in the jumps and hurdles, Kodie Buckle in the sprints and jumps, Lola Potts in the sprints and throws and Lucy Hill in the throws. Many athletes were rewarded with new lifetime best performances. Team manager Byron Edwards was delighted with the spirit of the squad and with a big push at the next fixture at Stretford on July 10 Bury can start thinking about promotion to the premier division.

At the schools meeting on Saturday there were victories for Peter Gardner (intermediate boys 400 hurdles 60:78), Harvey Rossington-Rose (intermediate boys long jump 5.56m), Connie Potts (intermediate girls hammer 36.09m), Reilly Carson (intermediate girls javelin 36.69m), Sam Gooddy (junior boys hammer 30.46m), Blessing Idoko (junior girls 200 26:36) and Emily Purdy (junior girls 1500 4:49.79).

Other medal winning performances included Natan Witkowski (3rd senior boys 400 53:93 and 2nd long jump 5.91m), Jay Cook (2nd senior boys discus 33.62m and shot 12.81m), Evie Elliott (2nd junior girls 75m hurdles 12:21), Polly Fordham (2nd junior girls high jump 1.40m), Anna Gisbourne (3rd intermediate girls 300 42:49), Nicole Palmer (3rd intermediate girls triple jump 9.77m) and Lucy Hill (3rd intermediate girls hammer 26.43m).

Other club members who competed at the championships included Josh Kantor, Kodie Buckle, Corinne Newton and Nicole South.