A fusion of fantastic athletics, fun and teamwork were at the centre of the SPAR Lancashire School Games primary and secondary school indoor sports hall athletics competitions.

Blackpool Sports Centre hosted the events this month for the first time in three years due to the pandemic amid an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement.

Fifty-six Lancashire schools took part across all the events (26 primary and 25 secondary), bringing together more than 300 pupils to test themselves at various indoor track and field events.

These included obstacle races, relay races, long jump, triple jump, speed bounce, shot and more, as pupils taking part displayed phenomenal team spirit with teammates while also showing strong support for peers competing from other districts and schools.

The Lancashire School Games are organised by Active Lancashire and the School Games Organiser Network, with the support of SPAR through its Preston-based primary wholesaler and distributor for Northern England, James Hall & Co. Ltd, which is now in its 15th consecutive year.

Dominic Holroyd, Children and Young People Development Officer at Active Lancashire, said: “It was brilliant to be able to host our indoor athletics competitions again, and it was great to see primary and secondary age children from right across Lancashire competing hard but in the sporting spirit that comes with the tradition of the Games.

“While participation and physical activity sits the heart of the events, we did have bronze, silver and gold medal winning performances at both the primary and secondary events across multiple disciplines. Our congratulations go to all schools and districts for their performances, and in particular our highest achievers at each of the indoor athletics events.

“Our thanks go to SPAR for their continued support of the Lancashire School Games and to the School Games Organisers and students who assisted to make these events a success.”

The top three schools in each event are as follows:

Primary schools

Year 5 and 6:

Bronze: Preston – St Andrew’s; Silver: Wyre – Stanah; Gold: Blackpool – Holy Family

Small schools:

Bronze: Lancaster – Dolphinholme; Silver: Ribble Valley – Gisburn; Gold: Chorley – Withnell St Joseph’s

Secondary schools

Year 7 Boys:

Bronze: All Hallows; Silver: Broughton; Gold: St Christopher’s

Year 8 Boys:

Bronze: Montgomery; Silver: Lostock Hall; Gold: Broughton

Year 7 Girls:

Bronze: Broughton; Silver: Clitheroe Royal Grammar School; Gold: Holy Cross

Year 8 Girls:

Bronze: Ormskirk; Silver: Broughton; Gold: St Michael’s

The Lancashire School Games 2022 provides children and young people with the opportunities to have fun, develop skills, and achieve personal bests through games, activities and competitions in a calendar of events across the academic year.

The aim of the 2022 Games is to help young people recover from the effects of pandemic, and support those who may have been impacted the most. It will culminate in a celebration event in Blackpool’s Stanley Park on Tuesday 5th July 2022.

You can find out more about James Hall & Co. Ltd at www.jameshall.co.uk.

Further information on Active Lancashire can be found at www.activelancashire.org.uk.