Take your mark! Local schools shine at the ng Classic Athletics Final

Runners took their marks as the ng Classics Athletics final returned last week (Thursday 13 June).

Students from eight area secondary schools (All Saints Secondary School, Bannerman High School, Eastbank Academy, Springburn Academy, St Andrew's RC High School, St Mungo's Academy, St Roch's Secondary School and Whitehill Secondary School) competed in the event at the Glasgow Club Crownpoint Sports Complex.

After a hotly contested event, Eastbank Academy crossed the finishing line with the most points on the day, reaching the 'finishing line' just ahead of the others, including double defending champions St Andrew’s, for this year's ng Classics title. All schools were represented in the medals table with a well-deserved congratulations going to all student athletes.

Catherine Rossine, ng homes Chairperson, attended the event and presented the winner's shield to this year's champions Eastbank Academy. Catherine added, “Congratulations are due to all involved in this year’s ng Classics Athletics final day – we are proud to support this event and watch it grow each year. It was a great day with young people cheering each other on throughout the competition – well done once again to all!”

The first ng Classics Athletics Final was held 2015 with four local secondary schools located in the north/northeast of Glasgow (St Roch's, Springburn, All Saints & St Mungo's). S1 and S2 pupils compete in 100-meter, 200-meter, 300-meter, 400-meter as well as 4 x 100m and 4 x 200m relays.

This event has evolved from a one-off final event featuring the four local secondary schools to a series of track meets with nine secondary schools from the northeast of Glasgow, with eight schools qualifying for the ng Classics final. The event has built the confidence of participants with several going on to join Athletics clubs and competing at national events.

The event provides schools an opportunity to compete on a track with the aim of enabling young people to feel more comfortable when attending bigger events. Each school has two practice track meets before the final event where medals are given to the top three in each race as well as each member of the overall winning team. Over the last few years, the practice track meets have evolved to include other schools as part of a North East Secondary Schools Athletics League.

Keen to going growing this annual event, organisers are looking at ways to be able to invite all schools who take part in the NE Secondary Athletics League to the ng Classics Final making it an even more prestigious event on the Athletics calendar. The ng Classics Athletics Final is supported by ng homes and run by the NE Active Schools team.