Last updated 19:42, Thursday, 03 July 2008

TWENTY young athletes from Cumbria will travel to Gateshead for the prestigious English Schools Athletics Championship to be held at the International Stadium next Friday and Saturday.

It is the biggest and probably the strongest team that the Cumbria Schools Athletic Association has sent to the national schools for several years.

Two medallists from the 2007 championships in Birmingham are in this year’s team.

Laura Park won silver in the 3000 metres and Sam Coe also gained silver in the senior boys’ hammer.

Tom Farrell ran sixth in the intermediate boys 3000 metres. Park has already annexed the Northern U17 title this year and finished 17th in the World Junior Cross-Country championships in Edinburgh.

Chelsie Browbank won gold in the U15 200 metres title in the Northern Championships at Wigan in May and Ryan Thompson won the silver at the England U15 indoor 200 metres at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. James Bowness, a double Northern silver medallist, is running in the 800 metres.

Katy Bernard, one of Britain’s most promising young hammer throwers, won silver in the U15 discus at the Northern Championships and is entered in that event at Gateshead.

Cumbria schools team - Junior boys: Ryan Thompson (Carlisle) 200m; Scott Brocklebank (South Lakes) discus; Adam McKee (Carlisle) discus; Regan Botham (South Lakes) javelin.

Intermediate boys: Kieran Congdon (Allerdale) 200m; James Bowness (Copeland) 800m; Tristan Venus (Eden) 1500m; Nick Miller (Carlisle) hammer.

Senior boys: Tom Farrell (Carlisle) 1500m; Sam Coe (South Lakes) hammer.

Junior girls: Chelsie Browbank (Allerdale) 200m, Tessa Stockdale (Allerdale) high jump; Kirsty Norwood (Eden) high jump; Holly Nelson (South Lakes) shot put; Katy Bernard (Eden) discus.

Intermediate girls: Lara Turner (Barrow) 200m; Laura Park (Allerdale) 3000m.

Senior Girls: Kerry Hunton (Allerdale) 400m; Charlotte Arter (Carlisle) 3000m; Eloise Stott (Allerdale) shot put.