A sun-soaked Monkton Stadium held the 68th Durham County Schools Athletics Championships on Saturday.

This event is the first chance for young athletes to stake their claim for a place on the county team at the coveted English Schools Championships held at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium on the weekend of the 30th of June.

As this is a school event athletes represent their school district rather than a club and three Sunderland School pupils came out on top. Arguably, the performance of the meeting was that of Venerable Bede's Celine Obinna-Alo who was in record-breaking form in the Junior Girls 100m, she romped to victory in 12.4 sec breaking the championship record which has stood for an astonishing 53 years! She also anchored the Sunderland Schools relay team to Silver.

Southmoor's Carter McQue is another Sunderland School pupil with his sights set on a place at Birmingham. He defended his Junior Boys High Jump title with a clearance of 1.67m and also anchored the Junior Boy's relay team to Silver. Jacob Waterston was the second Southmoor pupil to claim a county title securing victory in the Inter Boys Long Jump with a leap of 5.06m.

The county champions advance to this weekend's School Inter County match between County Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria, Cleveland and North Yorkshire held at Gateshead Stadium. This will be a final chance to secure a place at the English Schools Championships. They will be joined at the Inter Counties by fellow Sunderland school pupils Joe Willis and Daniel Cassop who finished second in their respective events, Joe in the Inter Boys 1500m (4.34.5) and Daniel in the Junior Boys Shot Put (9.58m).

Other Sunderland pupils who made the podium were 3rd placed Sophie Waterston (47.3 secs - JG 300m), Katie Paxton (18.48m - JG Javelin) and Ben Anderson 2.16.0 - (JB 800m).