SOUTH and West Dorset athletes produced a host of terrific performances at the Dorset County Primary School Championships at King’s Park Athletics Centre, Bournemouth.

The team enjoyed a second-placed finish in the girls’ competition and first spot in the boys’ equivalent, while several athletes bagged individual success.

Alex Wood (Dorchester Middle) won the boys’ Year Six 150m in 20.1secs, setting a new Dorset record in the process, while Charles Hutchings (Sunninghill) triumphed in the boys’ Year Four 60m sprint, also recording a new Dorset best with his time of 8.5secs.

Imogen Roberts (St Mary’s Catholic First School) jumped 3.32m in the girls’ Year Four long jump to place first, while Matthew West (Wyke Regis) won the boys’ Year Five long jump event with a leap of 3.86m.

Sennen Barlow (Sunninghill) reigned supreme in the girls’ Year Five high jump (1.20m), Adam Hoskins (Wyke Regis) won the boys’ Year Five high jump (1.20m), Hannah Huggins (Holy Trinity) dominated the girls’ Year Five 75m event (11.3secs) and Robinson Okumu (St Mary’s Middle, Puddletown) came out on top in the boys’ Year Five 75m race (10.7secs).

The South and West Dorset teams won all four of the relay races.

Other athletes who performed well for the team by finishing second included Tom Blair (Dorchester Middle) in the boys’ Year Six long jump (4.09m), Josh Moore (Dorchester Middle) in the boys’ Year Six cricket ball throw (45.13m), Luke Strong (Radipole) in the boys’ Year Six 600m (1min 44.7secs), Mikaela Hansson (Wyke Regis) in the Year Five girls’ 55m hurdles (10.9secs) and Jack Rowland (Dorchester Middle) in the boys’ Year Six 55m hurdles (9.4secs).

Also earning runners-up spots were Isabel Cadec (St Mary’s Middle, Puddletown) in the girls’ Year Five 75m sprint (11.6secs), Reece Hill (Holy Trinity) in the boys Year Five 75m sprint (10.7secs), Troy Brocklebank (Conifers) in the boys’ Year Six 75m (10.1secs) and Laura Cocker (St Osmunds Middle) in the girls’ Year Six 150m (21.7sec).

The boys’ South and West team came first overall with 79 points, East Dorset and Poole were joint second with 47 points and North Dorset took fourth with 13 points.

In the girls’ competition, Poole came out on top with 62 points followed by South and West (60 points), East Dorset (33 points) and North Dorset (27 points).

South and West team manager Don Whistance was delighted with the results but continues to campaign for improved facilities in the area.

He said: “The results over the years prove that we have the talent in the area but have we the desire to further enhance the sporting lives of our children by providing them with a modern athletics track as a legacy of the forthcoming Olympics in 2012?

“The children of South Dorset with athletic ability have sadly been let down over the years. It would be a move in the right direction if we could find some influential people who could organise an effective campaign to provide improved athletics facilities here.”