There was plenty of success for young Cumbrian athletes to celebrate at the English Schools’ Championships.

Tara Simpson-Sullivan, from Lowther, led the way as she took silver in the senior girls’ hammer - the 18-year-old’s fifth medal at the national schools event in six outings.

Simpson-Sullivan, who next month will travel to the United States as she prepares to start a scholarship at Rice University in Houston, Texas, will feature at an international meeting in Wales next week, before her attention turns Stateside. 

Mum Tracy thanked Cranstons for sponsoring Tara over the past two years and Jon Davidson for his support in helping fund her equipment.

Border Harrier Olivia Mason also got on the podium at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium last weekend when she finished the senior girls’ 1,500m in 4:26 to earn silver as the senior girls came away with the Group D Trophy.

“If they get national entry, they [the athletes] score a point for their county and, if they get the national standard, they score two points. In Group D, we were the senior girls champions,” coach Lenny Miller explained.

“Group D is for the small counties, like Cornwall, Cleveland and ourselves. In total, there are five or six counties [in that category] so, to win, that was an impressive achievement.”

Another promising athlete to feature was Joey Connelly. He was involved in the discus, which was the sixth different event the multi-talented athlete had competed in across six years of taking part at the English Schools’ Championships.

Of Miller’s own athletes, Damon King pulled out of the hammer event after his opening throw with an ankle injury.

But, on Sunday, he bounced back and claimed silver when he competed in Coventry in the NDP [National Development Plan] Trampoline finals, while Harry Miles (discus) and Kian Martin (javelin) both came close to matching their personal bests.

Miller, dad of Commonwealth Games gold medallist Nick, added: “We also had some young athletes, there.

"A couple of Year 8s competing with the Year 9s and a few Year 10s competing against Year 11s.

“It was an experience-gaining lesson for those. Hopefully, they will want to go again next year.”