Youngsters have a spring in their step

Glorious spring weather greeted youngsters from the under-11 and under-13 age categories.

And the runners got stuck in and tackled the multi-terrain conditions, clocking up some impressive results.

It was the eighth year that Prep Schools have met for the annual event, where students from 14 independent schools.

They competed in individual, team and relay races over a challenging course around the school playing fields and through the woods.

Schools taking part in the 2016 event were hosts Shrewsbury High School and Prep, Moreton Hall School, St Winefrides School, Birchfield School, Old Hall School, Prestfelde School, Adcote School, Lichfield Cathedral School, Wolverhampton Grammar School, Abbots Bromley School, Heathfield Whitehouse, Hallfield and Hamilton.

The course proved to be a good test of the athletes' speed and endurance, with this year's results highlighting one of the most competitive competitions in the event's history.

The excitement continued for the host school today as they welcomed a number of primary schools from across the region for the Primary Schools Cross Country Tournament.

Head of sport at Shrewsbury High Prep, Paul Leeming, has organised the event for a number of years and was thrilled at the performance all schools were able to put in.

He said: "Every year the quality of the running at this event is very high, but this year in particular, pupils from all schools seemed to be racing at an even higher level which was very exciting to see.

"The course around the school grounds and through the woods is a great test for the runners and there was a lot of sporting talent on show in all categories."

London Road-based independent school Prestfelde enjoyed a highly successful day with victories in the under-11 girls category and relay while they also took the overall boys title at under-11 and 13 and the under-13 relay.

In the under-11 girls category, Prestfelde's Iris Downes crossed the line in first place.

Prestfelde took top spot in the under-11 girls relay by 0.16 seconds from Old Hall, crowning their efforts with an overall team success for the age group, with Old Hall second and Heathfield Whitehouse in third.

But the school were pipped to the post by Old Hall in the under-11 boys relay, losing by just 0.05 of a second. Old Hall's Nathan Cox claimed first place in the individual under-11 boys cross country ahead of Shrewsbury High's Harry Marshall.

Prestfelde did enough to again secure the overall under-11s title, though, winning from Hallfield and Shrewsbury High.

Oswestry's Moreton Hall School took home the titles in the under-13 girls, running out as overall winners, while their superb performance in taking first place in the relay proved another memorable moment.

But it was Rebecca Loundey, of Staffordshire school Abbots Bromley, who took the under-13 girls individual race.

Prestfelde's boys showed their dominance in the under-13s by taking the overall team win as well as the relay race. William Lewis led a Prestfelde top three with Alfie Biggs and Henry Lees.

Head of Shrewsbury High Prep Kate Millichamp presented the medals and cups to winners and runners-up at the end of the day and was impressed with the level of support.

She said: "This was my first cross country tournament as head of Shrewsbury High Prep and the atmosphere with parents and school friends cheering on the runners.

"It comes on top of the fantastic spring weather, meant it was a wonderful afternoon's sport here at Prep. It was a pleasure to host so many other schools."

Results Under-11 girls: 1 Iris Downes (Prestfelde) 7.18; 2 Libby Veutch (Old Hall) 7.34; 3 Sian Duvel (Lichfield) 7.40; 4 Isabelle Mason (WGS) 7.50; 5 Emilia Griffiyths (Prestfelde) 7.56; 6 Iyla Gallagher (Whitehourse) 8.01; 7 Ella Jackson (Old Hall) 8.05; 8 Olivia Clarke (Shrewsbury High Prep) 8.12; 9 Kitty Schols Pryce (Prestfelde) 8.15; 10 Issabella Harpen (Prestfelde) 8.17.

Relay: 1 Prestfelde 10:10; 2 Old Hall 10:26; 3 Lichfield 10:54.

Team: 1 Prestfelde 25; 2 Old Hall 70; 3 White House 75.

Under-11 boys: 1 Nathan Cox (Old Hall) 7.57; 2 Harry Marshall (SHP) 8.11; 3 Oliver Dunn (Prestfelde) 8.16; 4 Jack Home (Prestfelde) 8.17; 5 Maher (Hamilton) 8.20; 6 Will Taylor (Prestfelde) 8.23; 7 Archie Hidderly (Lichfield) 8.34; 8 Loui Green (Lichfield) 8.45; 9 Jack Kinrade (Prestfelde) 8.47; 10 William Western (Birchfield) 8.48.

Relay: 1 Old Hall 9:30; 2 Prestfelde 9:35; 3 SHS 9:58.

Team: 1 Prestfelde 22; 2 Hallfield 49; 3 SHP 49.

Under-13 girls: 1 Rebecca Loundey (Abbots Bromley) 8.08; 2 Saffron Smith (Heathfield) 8.38; 3 Kundai Chipondene (Moreton) 8.41; 4 Daisy Reeves (Moreton) 8.46; 5 Milly Wray (Moreton) 8.53; 6 Charlotte Gilloody (SHS A) 9.04; 7 Emily Jones (SHS A) 9.12; 8 Georgia Richardson (Adcote) 9.26; 9 Phoebe Cooper (Prestfelde) 9.34; 10 Georgia Reeves (Moreton) 9.41.

Relay: 1 Moreton Hall 9:35; 2 SHS 10:19; 3 Heathfield 10:21.

Team: 1 Moreton Hall 22; 2 SHS 43; 3 Prestfelde 50.

Under-13 boys: 1 William Lewin (Prestfelde) 8.36; 2 Alfie Biggs (Prestfelde) 9.11; 3 Henry Lees (Prestfelde) 9.14; 4 Dan Chambers (Birchfield) 9.20; 5 Rory O'Brien (Prestfelde) 9.32; 6 Joseph Hannam (Lichfield) 9.44; 7 Jamie Davis (Prestfelde) 9.55; 8 George Pook (Prestfelde) 9.57; 9 Charlie Huntley (SHS) 9.59; 10 Tristan Fong (SHS) 10.10.

Relay: 1 Prestfelde 8:56; 2 Prestfelde 9:43; 3 SHS 9:49.