RGS track and field stars shatter records

These RGS athletes have won a huge haul of regional, county and area championship titles and medals between them during a super summer of sport

RECORDS have been shattered by Ripon Grammar School’s track and field stars throughout the county this summer.

In an exceptional season for sport, four RGS athletes have been selected to represent North Yorkshire at prestigious national championships.

This means a remarkable ten per cent of the 40-strong North Yorkshire schools’ team - selected from 84 schools throughout the county - is made up of RGS athletes.

In addition, sixth former Isaac Henson has been crowned North-East regional decathlon champion and Yorkshire region javelin champion for the fourth year running, with Simon Bordewich crowned Yorkshire region 300m champion.

Director of sport Adam Milner said: “It has been a fantastic summer for our athletes, who have achieved some amazing results – achieving school and area records and being crowned area champions, county champions and northern inter-county champions.

“Having four students make the North Yorkshire team for the English Schools National Championships is unprecedented for RGS, which is not a particularly large secondary school."

RGS, with 920 pupils, is not among the larger secondary schools in North Yorkshire: “To have ten per cent of the whole county team come from Ripon Grammar School is a major achievement and we look forward to seeing how the students get on at the national championships in Birmingham in July," said Mr Milner.

RGS was also recently named among the top five per cent of sporting schools in the country by School Sport magazine: “Many of our students put the hours in outside school and these latest achievements are due rewards for all their hard work. Hopefully, this will inspire all students ahead of sports day on July 9.”

The four athletes selected to represent North Yorkshire at the English Schools’ Athletic Championships in Birmingham are: Holly Nash (junior girls’ 75m hurdles); Isaac Henson (senior boys’ javelin); Beth Takieddine (junior girls’ 200m) and Simon Bordewich (junior boys’ 300m).

Isaac, 18, also won silver in discus and bronze in pole vault at the Yorkshire Championships.

In his final year at RGS, he won his eighth and ninth gold medals representing his RGS in shot and javelin at the inter schools competition this year.

Holly Nash, 14, has recently qualified for the English Schools’ Athletics Association championship finals in Stoke-on-Trent in September after coming an impressive 8th out of 21at the North-East regional championships in Doncaster.

A keen cricket, football and hockey player, she has recently beaten school records and achieved personal bests in hurdles and relay, having won silvers and a gold at county and area championships.

“I only started training for hurdles and combined events last year, previously, I was training to run cross country. I feel like I've worked incredibly hard for my achievements, and it's not been easy,” she says.

Beth Takieddine, 14, who has claimed 100m and 200m North Yorkshire champion titles, is enjoying a successful run in her second summer season of athletics, also winning gold in the 200m at area championships in Leeds.

At the inter-counties in Gateshead, she won bronze in the 200m and silver in her relay event.

“I really enjoy lots of different sports, but I hope to keep improving and excel in athletics,” she says.

Simon, 14, clocked up 300m golds in three prestigious competitions – the North Yorkshire Schools County Athletics Championships, the Northern Inter Counties Athletics meeting against Durham, Cleveland and Northumberland and the Yorkshire County Championships.

A member of Harrogate Harriers running club, he first took up sprint training to help in his rugby. Now, he says: “My aim is to break below 37.00s this year.

Isabelle Forsythe, 12, won silvers in the 3,000m U15 Yorkshire Championships and in the 1,500m U15 North Yorkshire championships, claiming gold in the 1,500m Harrogate and Craven Championships this year.

Having taken up running in Year 7, she has broken the RGS Year 8 girls’ record for the 1,500m.

William Keens, 16, who has been running competitively for six years, claimed silver in the 3,000m at the North Yorkshire championships.

Planning to study maths, further maths, physics and chemistry at A-level, he says: “I just want to have fun and think of running as a lovely way to keep fit.”

Natasha Pointon, 14, won gold in junior girls’ 1,500m and silver in relay at the North Yorkshire Schools’ Athletics championships.

She took up middle and long distance running two years ago and enjoys hockey, swimming and cycling: “My ambition for running is to keep pushing myself to improve and achieve personal bests,” she says.

Angus Millar, 14, was crowned area champion in javelin at the Harrogate and Craven championships.

A keen triathlete who has also been competing in athletics since joining RGS in Year 7, he is ambitious for the future: “I’d like to improve my javelin and 1500m running too, but it’s not my focus. I would love to represent Yorkshire or even England for my other sports, such as triathlon, fell running or cross-country.”

Off to the national championships: Holly Nash (junior girls’ 75m hurdles); Isaac Henson (senior boys’ javelin); Beth Takieddine (junior girls’ 200m) and Simon Bordewich (junior boys’ 300m)

Winners and runners up at the North Yorkshire County Athletic Championships:  William Keens (inter-boys' 3000m, runner up);  Bella Simpson (junior girls' discus champion; javelin runner up); Isaac Henson (senior boy' javelin champion); Beth Takieddine (junior girls' 100m champion, junior girls' 200m champion); Simon Bordewich (junior boys' 300m champion); Izzy Forsyth (junior girls' 1500m, runner up); Natasha Pointon (junior girls' 1500m champion); Holly Nash (junior girls' 75m hurdles champion)

Picture 4

Harrogate And Craven District Athletic Champions:  Izzy Forsyth (Year 8 girls 1500m);  Bella Simpson (Year 9 girls' javelin); Angus Millar (Year 9 boys' javelin);  Tabby Riddler (Year 8 girls' shot); Natasha Pointon (Year 9 girls' 1500m with a new record of 5.06.63, taking 4 seconds off the previous record);  Beth Takieddine (Year 9 girls' 200m); Simon Bordewich (Year 9 boys' champion with a new record of 38.00secs, taking 1.2 seconds off the previous record);  Holly Nash (Year 9 girls' hurdles)