STUDENTS from John Kyrle High School in Ross-on-Wye have been excelling in athletics.

Alex Griffiths claimed an English Schools' Athletics Association (ESAA) record in the hammer to claim gold at The Mason Trophy event at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham thanks to a throw of 54.45m.

Griffiths went into the event on the back of a record-breaking throw in of 55.60m at the Hereford & Worcester Schools County Track & Field Championships at Nunnery School, Worcester. A total of 26 athletes from John Kyrle represented Hereford District at the Championships after securing top three places at the district athletics trials.

On the track, Briony Bishop ran both the 1,500m and the 3,000m in quick succession, finishing in first place in each event.

James Blackwell came in second place in the Junior Boys’ 1,500m.

Additionally, in the Junior Girls’ 800m, Alice Hassan cruised to victory whilst Bethan Samuel claimed first place in the Inter Girls’ 800m.

The sprinters shone too with Ryan-Luke Davies qualifying in both the 100m and 300m, and Ryan Chaplain winning the 300m.

Not to be outdone, the field athletes also performed outstandingly.

Ella Jones broke a five-year school record in the Junior Girls’ long jump with a personal best of 4m, 60cms, while Jackson Sharp qualified with a jump of 5m, 36cms in the Inter Boys’ competition.

Year Eight student, Carys Lowley, took gold in both the javelin and discus for the Junior Girls’ events, and Tom Gwynne qualified in the Inter Boys’ shot and discus.

Hereford & Worcester finished eighth overall in The Mason Trophy, with the event serving as an indicator for selectors to choose their team for the final and showpiece in the schools' athletics calendar, the ESAA National Track & Field Championships, which will be held at Gateshead next month.

Other county successes saw Levi Hughes, of Whitecross High School, leap 13.50m to surpass the ESAA entry standard and claim a gold medal.

While at the County Championships, Hereford Sixth Form College student Sylvia Misztal won the 100m and 400m hurdles in 15.7 seconds and one minute 10 seconds respectively.

Mistzal also received medals in the 200m and shot.