FINLEY Wilkinson was reaching for the stars at the prestigious Gateshead International Stadium on Saturday.

For the youngster followed up his junior boys’ 80m hurdles success at the previous week’s Northumberland Schools Track and Field Championships, at Hexham’s Wentworth Leisure Centre, by doing the same at Gateshead, with a time of 12.22s

He was one of many children and teenagers from across the district who excelled on the region’s main athletic stage in the Northern Schools’ Inter-County Athletics Championships.

They all contributed as Northumberland scored a total of 623 points to finish ahead of neighbouring counties, Cumbria (456.5), Durham (448.5), and Cleveland (368).

In the junior boys’ 100m, Ulrick Lawson was third with a time of 12.52s, while Nathan Kidd was second in the 200m with a time of 25.31s, and Leon Hall third in 25.52s.

A time of 2m 04.27s in the 800m earned a second place for Zak Old.

Josh Blevins’ run of 4m 15.99s earned him first place in the 1,500m.

In the junior boys’ 4 x 100m relay, Hall, Lawson, and Wikinson combined with Jack Maxwell to clinch victory.

Northumberland excelled in the junior boys’ long jump, with Froilan Mason (5.53m) finishing in first place, and Ben Ridley (5.40m) second.

There was a similar story in the high jump, with Koffi Jeje Arvornyo and Hamish Armstrong taking the first two positions with jumps of 1.60m. Froincis Okoronkwo Northumberland was the triple jump winner, reaching an impressive 11.72m.

Nathan Arkle took the 4kg shot putt title with a throw of 11.40m. Thomas Mann was third in the 1.25kg discuss, his throw measuring 27.45m, and the 4kg hammer, reaching 25.24m.

Joanna Crulley Northumberland (13.36s) was second in the junior girls’ 100m, while Mia Belton was third (13.44s). Crulley also took second place in the 200m with a time of 27.79s. In the 300m, Alice Geoghegan ran a winning time of 42.51s. Holly Waugh took second place in the 800m with a run of 2m 18.27s.

Geoghegan also enjoyed success in the javelin, with her throw of 30.97m. The quartet of Geoghegan, Belton, Crulley, and Georgie Mabbott took second place in the 4 x 100 relay. In the junior girls’ long jump, Anya Manuel was third with a jump of 4.51m.

Lucy McConnell (1.50m) was the long jump winner, while Anna Fitzpatrick (1.45m) was second. In the 3kg shot putt, Talia Thompson’s effort of 10.28m was a winning one.