Children from Moffat Primary School travelled to the ON-X Centre in Linwood on Friday 23 February to compete in the West of Scotland Sportshall Athletics Finals.
The young team who came runners up in the Annandale and Eskdale qualifying event in November last year, then progressed to the Dumfries and Galloway Regional Finals in January which after coming first, progressed to the West of Scotland Finals.
The team worked very hard in practice in the weeks leading up to the finals and although up against teams with physically bigger and stronger children, the young team from Moffat held their own and did their school proud with another excellent performance to finish in joint third place on 362 points.
Sportshall Athletics is part of the primary schools sporting calendar across the region and allows thousands of children in many schools to take part in the activity with the winners progressing to national level events.
Councillor Jeff Leaver, chair of Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning [CYPLL] committee, said: “Sport can be a means to raise ambition and attainment in our young people. Many top athletes are rewarded at the highest level for sporting performance which can inspire future generations into physical activity and on to sporting success. Sport can bring out the best in young people and have a direct influence in many other areas of a young person’s life, none more so than education and health and wellbeing. It is important we recognise the achievements of our young people which motivate their peers to do likewise and I congratulate Moffat Primary School on their success.”
Councillor Ros Surtees, vice chair, said: “The success of Moffat Primary School in recent years has obviously had a positive effect on younger children in the school. This sort of success can inspire younger generations to be more physically active through sporting participation which can contribute to broader outcomes across health, education and community integration.”
Andrea Macfarlane, Moffat Academy, said:“Our team last year achieved 2nd place at this event and have inspired this year’s team to work incredibly hard. They had a fantastic morning of competition against some very strong teams. I couldn’t have asked any more from them, each and every one gave one hundred percent. We were delighted with their 3rd place and hope that their success will continue to inspire our young athletes coming through.”
