On April 5th, primary school children from all over Northern Ireland competed in the 2017 Every Body Active National Sportshall Athletics final at the Lisburn Leisureplex. 100 children competed having qualified from the regional heats to participate in the final. With Sport NI’s Every Body Active initiative in its first year approximately 750 children took the opportunity to participate in taster training sessions and regional heats in Bangor, Lisburn, Downpatrick, Newry, Belfast, Newtownabbey and Antrim.
Events on the day included individual sprints, and endurance run, standing long jump, speed bounce, medicine ball throw, sprints relay and mixed agility relay races. Staff from Athletics NI and Every Body Active Athletics Coaches ensured the competition ran smoothly and safely. This initiative provides children with a fun and enjoyable first experience of athletics competition. The event continues to be a success and will run again next year.
The overall boys and girl’s winners both came from the Ards & North Down team in what was a successful day for the squad. Poppy Dann was the clear winner of the girl’s event while her teammate Joshua Bunting held off competition from Lisburn & Castlereagh’s Evan Dennision to claim top spot.
