1. PAGE 8 The Herald, Wednesday March 4 2015THX-E01-S4Tweet us @PlymouthSport Message us at facebook.com/theplymouthherald Email us at sports@plymouthherald.co.uk@
Standard of competition at 10th
Devon School Games is best yetTHE Devon School Games cel-
ebrated their 10th anniversary
with a memorable 2015 com-
petition at the Plymouth Life
Centre.
Ten years on from its inaugural sta-
ging, 196 Year 5 and 6 pupils from 16
Devon primary schools competed in
track and field athletics events.
This year’s competition was the
biggest yet and has enjoyed enormous
growth since 2005. Lance Chatfield,
school and community sports man-
ager for the Plymouth School Sports
Partnership, has been delighted with
the progress the games have enjoyed.
“When I brought the games to Ply-
mouth 10 years ago we only had three
teams at the event,” Chatfield said.
“It’s just grown and grown since
then which has been really great to see.
This year’s event was great overall.
“The standard in track and field this
year is the highest I’ve seen in the
competition’s history.”
Such high standard across the board
certainly made for an exhilarating fin-
ish to the day as eventual winners
Sherwell Valley had to place well in the
final relays to secure the title.
The Torbay school notched second
and eighth places in the girls and boys
relays respectively, which helped them
edge out Plymouth schools Hyde Park
and Glen Park for the victory.
Chatfield was keen to point out that
the tournament has become increas-
ingly competitive with student ath-
letes preparing more seriously.
“What was really inspiring about
this year’s event was seeing young-
sters coming into the games clearly
well prepared and well trained,”
Chafield said.
“These young competitors certainly
take this opportunity seriously.”
In its current format, even qual-
ifying for the level 3 stages of the
tournament requires plenty of grit and
determination.
The schools participating at the Life
Centre had earned their place there
through tough regional heats.
Fifty Plymouth schools took part in
the qualifiers which included 10 heats
and a citywide level 2 final.
It is this level of the competition that
the Plymouth School Sports Partner-
ship is planning significant expansion
for.
“Our aim is to make sure every
school in the Plymouth area has the
chance to qualify for the level 3 stage
and compete at the final event,” Chat-
field said.
The winners of the secondary
schools event may be able to progress
to a bigger, level 4 regional event.
by DAVID MUNDAY
Sports Writer @PlymouthSport
Pictures
JOHN ALLEN
Pictures John Allen
THROWING CAUTION TO THE
WIND: A Hyde Park pupil goes in
the javelin. (Right) A Bickleigh
Down youngster competes. (Left)
A Glen Park pupil in full flight
ALL IN HAND: A Montpelier pupil
in action. (Right) Youngsters
cheer on team-mates during the
10th Devon School Games at
Plymouth Life Centre