Shelly joins the festival fun

LONDON Marathon winner Shelly Woods defends her title in the capital on Sunday week but broke off her busy training schedule to give the next generation of athletics talent a big boost. Blackpool’s international wheelchair racer presented medals and certificates at the Wyre and Fylde indoor athletics festival at Blackpool Sports Centre.

More than 800 schoolchildren took part in a host of track and field events, including relays, lap races, long jump and triple jump. Lytham High School took the Year 7 honours, while St Aidans were victors in the Year 8 and 9 age group and Baines triumphed among the Year 10 and 11s. Our Lady Star of the Sea from St Annes pipped defending champions Newton Bluecoat by just two points to win the primary schools’ competition.

The event was organised by the Wyre & Fylde School Sports Partnership and supported by coaches, officials and athletes from Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde AC. The partnership’s PE and school sport manager Matt Hilton said: “It was a tremendous effort by all the pupils and staff. “Events like this help children to build self-confidence and give them a sense of achievement as well as promoting a healthy lifestyle and positive attitude.”