There were some outstanding performances at the Swindon Schools athletics championships.

Schools from all over Swindon took part in the event, for Years nine and ten, at the County Ground track.

Ridgeway School dominated most of the events for the Year nine girls and for the Year ten boys but failed to show as much quality in the Year ten girls and Year nine boys events.

There was a joint first place for Commonweal and Greendown in the Year ten girls and the winners of the Year nine boys were St. Josephs.

Swindon Harriers' runner Jem Scragg put everyone else to shame in the Year ten 1500 metres final. The 15-year-old Commonweal pupil was lengths ahead of his competitors. His finishing time was 4.22, eight seconds outside his personal best.

He said: I thought I did quite good but it isn't my personal best.

I train five days a week. At the weekends, it's usually early morning around 9:30 and weekdays it is usually early evening.

I have been taking part in this championship since year seven and have won it every year since then.

The winner of the Year ten 100m hurdles was Danny Whiting, 14, of Ridgeway. He finished his race in 15.3 seconds.

He said: I'm not very pleased with my race. I clattered into one of the hurdles really badly.

Danny's father, Tim Whiting, was responsible for organising the sports event.

Ridgeway's James Clifforde, 14, won the Year nine shot putt with a throw of 10.70m.

He said: I think I could have thrown further and I have competed in this competition since year seven and I think I have won it since then too.

Hannah Linnet, 14, of Dorcan Technology College came first in the Year nine high jump, clearing 1.35m.

She said: I didn't think I was going to win. There was a lot hard competition.

Her school colleague Ann-Marie Pike, 14, won the Year nine javelin with a throw of 18.5m.

Ann-Marie said: I only take part in this sport at school but it's great that I won. I was really surprised I won, it was very unexpected.

Gemma Wood, 14 of Ridgeway School won the long jump with a top leap of 4.37m.

She said: It wasn't my personal best but it's the taking part that counts really, isn't it?

The relay winners were:

Y9 Girls- Ridgeway; Y9 Boys- St. Josephs; Y10 Girls- Ridgeway; Y10 Boys- Ridgeway

The overall winners were:

Y9 Girls- Ridgeway- 107 pts; Y9 Boys- St. Josephs- 131 pts; Y10 Girls- Commonweal and Greendown- both 128 pts; Y10 Boys- Ridgeway- 160pts.