Girls squads pick up silver medals

Romford Recorder: Coopers intermediate girls were runners-up at BedfordCoopers intermediate girls were runners-up at Bedford (Image: Archant)

Coopers Coborn pupils celebrated a superb silver double at the English Schools’ Track & Field Cup final in Bedford at the weekend.

The Upminster School sent three teams to the event, the only school to have such a presence, and saw their junior and intermediate girls finish as runners-up, while the intermediate boys were eighth.

It was the first Coopers boys’ team to qualify for the event in 25 years and captain Mayowa Osunsami was joint first in the hurdles, in which he is ranked second in the country, while Adam Watson won the 300m on the line.

Intermediate girls’ captain Riva Siggins set personal bests in the discus (32.14m) and 200m on her way to a winning double, while Elysha Thatcher-Gray broke the event record in the shot (11.24m).

Romford Recorder: Coopers intermediate boys were eighth at BedfordCoopers intermediate boys were eighth at Bedford (Image: Archant)

For the junior girls, there were fine performances by vice-captain Rosie Brown in the 800m (2.35.0) and discus (25.63m) and Millie Hodges in the discus (24.90).

Head of PE Helen Davies said: “This fantastic group of students made Coopers history and we are incredibly proud of them. It’s the best result the school has had in 34 years!

“Their success is testament to how unbelievably hard they have worked. They have trained before school, at lunchtimes and after school all season.

“Their tenacity to succeed and their camaraderie as a squad has been a joy to be part of.”