Newmarket Academy hosts first Forest Heath Sports Partnership event of the new school year

liam.apicella@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Published: 13:00, 29 September 2022

Fifteen primary and secondary schools from the local area competed in the first Forest Heath Sports Partnership event of the new school year on Tuesday.

An estimated 170 pupils from school years five, six and seven took part in the cross country event, which was hosted by Newmarket Academy.

Ian Jackson, who is the sports partnership manager, was delighted with how the afternoon unfolded.

The girls' race gets under way at Newmarket Academy. Picture: Mark Westley

He said: “We were very, very happy with how it went. It is always good to get the first event of the year up and running.

“We had 15 schools, about 170 children taking part and also a huge amount of parents and guardians coming to watch. That is always fantastic to see because it allows us to show what we are doing and how these events benefit the children.”

Host school Newmarket Academy was the only school to enter the year seven competition following a couple of late drop-outs.

The boys' race gets started. Picture: Mark Westley

Nevertheless, they still entered seven squads made up of four pupils (two boys and two girls), with the competition being won by Newmarket Academy 1.

Meanwhile, in the year five and six competition it was Exning Primary School A who came out on top, followed by Lakenheath Primary School A in second place. That was the Mill Road-based school’s highest finishing position at one of these meetings.

Meanwhile, St Marys Church of England Academy A in Mildenhall completed the podium.