BUDDING athletes from primary schools across County Down laced up for the first round of the Flahavan’s Athletics NI Primary School Cross Country League at Londonderry Park, Newtownards.
In the first boys’ race of the day, Jay Foster, from Spa Primary School, Ballynahinch, took the top spot, chased by Ethan Martindale and Rory McCullough, from Ballyholme Primary School, Bangor in second and third place respectively.
The second boys’ race saw brothers Daly Seaton and Casey Seaton, from Glencraig Integrated Primary School, Holywood, in first and second place respectively, followed by Harrison Mair, from St Comgall’s Primary School, Bangor, in third.
The girls were equally as impressive with Lily Henderson from Spa Primary School, taking the lead in the first girls’ race, ahead of Sofia Barry, from Castle Gardens Primary School, Newtownards, in second and Jenny Gunson, also from Spa Primary School in third place.
In the second girls’ race, it was Emily McGreevy from Glasswater Primary School, Crossgar who crossed the finish line first, followed closely by Emily Allen, from Grange Park Primary School, Bangor, in second and Jess Dunlop from Crawfordsburn Primary School in third place.
Teams of six runners collected crucial points across the boys’ and girls’ races, all aiming to qualify for the second round and ultimately the final at Mallusk Playing Fields, due to take place in February 2026.
The leading boys’ teams after round one were Ballyholme Primary School, Towerview Primary School, Bangor and Glencraig Integrated Primary School, with the top girls’ teams including Towerview Primary School, Castle Gardens Primary School and Grange Park Primary School.
