Lots more for Coopers to cheer

Coopers Coborn will have three of their gymnastics teams at the National finals (Image: Archant)

Coopers Coborn pupils celebrate a superb double at the annual Radley Cross-Country Relays.

The event involves teams of four running a 1.9-mile circuit around the vast grounds of the school, with Coopers going up against the likes of Eton, Abingdon, Wellington, Haileybury and Harrow.

And the Upminster students stunned their rivals as both their junior squads won their races.

Tom Keevil, Harry Jones, Ben Enye and Oliver Woods combined for the boys, while Katie Mitchell, Sophie Rand, Rebecca Brown and Annalie Tanner linked up for the girls.

Coopers Coborn's under-13 girls have qualified for the East of England finals (Image: Archant)

The intermediate and senior girls’ squads both finished second, while the junior boys’ B team, intermediate and senior A teams were sixth in their races.

The junior boys’ C team were ninth, with the senior B team 12th.

Keevil had the fastest junior boy lap of 11mins 58secs, while Ben Davis was fastest intermediate boy and second overall with 11.23.

Mitchell had the fastest junior girl lap of 13.06 and Lydia Hallam was fastest senior with 12.35.

Coopers have also seen three of their gymnastics teams qualify for the National finals of the team trio event.

Members perform individual vault and floor routines, as well as a group routine, with the under-16 boys squad of Whittlestone, Mark Roe and Jack Ellerton winning their section.

The mixed team of Matt Dye, Josephine Tang, Kate walker and Faith Everett also finished first to qualify, while Lauren Mitchell, Annabelle Hostler and Jess Sexton-Barnes were second in the under-16 girls event to go through.

The B team of Alyshah De Vos, Scarlett Folan and Yasmin Corbett were fifth and assistant head Mark Duncan said: “The students had been working incredibly hard in the build up to the competition with many practising before school, at lunchtime and after school perfecting their routines.

“This is the best result we have ever had at this round with the most teams through to the National Stage at Stoke in March.”

Students take part in the Essex round of the Team Floor & Vault competition in Chelmsford on Tuesday.

n The under-14 boys badminton squad have been celebrating after being crowned East London champions at the Copper Box Arena.

Thusar Jitesh, Harley Whittlestone, Neo Wren and Kieron Davison-Pearce didn’t drop a single rubber through the event, beating Bancroft’s, Forest, Bexleyy Grammer and Robert Clack.

They compete in the regional final at the London Youth Games in late March for a place at the National Finals at Crystal Palace.

The girls beat Brampton Manor and Walthamstow 5-0 on their way to finishing third overall.

n Coopers under-13 hockey girls finished runners-up at the Essex finals to qualify for the East of England finals for the first time in five years.

They beat New Hall (4-0), Brentwood (2-0), Alec Hunter (5-0) and Holmwood House (1-0), with a 1-1 draw against Bancroft’s sealing top place in their group.

After a superb 1-0 win over defending champions Felsted in the semi-finals, Coopers were edged out in the final by Forest but will look forward to the next stage.

Coopers: Lucia James, Robyn Hodges (C), Abigail Michelow, Caitlin Saggers, Emily Davies, Adelaide Thatcher-Gray, Charlotte Mallin, Cara Robertson, Lucy Scrivener, Lily Wiltshire.

n Coopers Coborn swimming teams met Bancroft’s, Forest and Brentwood in an annual four-school event and came out on top in both the boys and girls categories overall.

The under-12, under-13 and under-14 boys won their sections, with the under-12 girls also successful and the under-13s and under-14s finishing second.

Mark Duncan said: “It was a fine showing for our younger swimmers, with many new personal best set and some excellent performances in a high quality gala.

“It really shows the depth of talent coming through the lower school. We’re certainly looking forward to these teams realising their potential in the future.”