School Games success for young Rochdale athletes

Norden Community School taking part in the Sports Hall Athletics

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Budding sports stars from Rochdale were among 1800 Greater Manchester athletes competing at the Greater Manchester Sainsbury’s Winter School Games on Tuesday (19 March).

More than 200 schools competed, including 15 from Rochdale in venues across Greater Manchester including the Regional Athletics Arena at Manchester City FC’s Etihad Campus and at the Aquatics Centre.

Competitions were organised across 12 different sports, with boccia and mini basketball joining more traditional sports such as swimming and athletics.

Among Rochdale’s successful schools was Redwood Secondary School who scooped gold in the under-19’s rugby union for pupils with specific learning disabilities (SLD).

The event also saw success for Wardle High and Matthew Moss, who teamed up to win gold and silver in the Mixed Boccia 12s (disability) event.

Beech House claimed bronze in the Year Three/Four Key Steps Team Gymnastics event, while Rochdale pupils Ethan Wardle and Aishah Rehman finished first and second respectively in the KS2 Key Steps disability category.

Ellie Roebuck and St Thomas More RC’s year four and five boys team both scooped silver medals in the pool, while Cardinal Langley RC’s year seven/eight team finished third in the Cadet Polo.

Final St Cuthbert’s RC’s under-13 girls won table tennis bronze and Falinge Park’s year seven/eight Mini Volley team won volleyball silver.

Julie Hazeldine, Chair of the Local Organising Committee and Headteacher of Flixton Girls’ School believes the talent on show was of a high standard.

“It was great to see so many young athletes taking part in the event and the excitement around sport still evident after the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“The standard of competition was extremely high and hopefully this is just the start of some of these young athletes’ own Olympic journey.”