Medway and Maidstone athletes played leading roles as Kent finished third in the battle for the Broadbridge Trophy at the English Schools Championships in Gateshead at the weekend, writes Alan Newman.

Kent scored 289 points in the elite Group A, trailing just Essex (301.5) and Surrey (293), but ahead of Hertfordshire (256), Hampshire (231) and Sussex (206.5). The best team result for Kent was achieved by the intermediate girls, who won their category with 11 points to spare over Surrey and London.

Gold medal winners for Kent included Medway and Maidstone's Jade Oni (1.72m PB), who secured her junior girls' high jump title on countback.

Isaac Milham (11.28sec) with bronze in the junior boys’ 80m hurdles. Jack Royden (M&M, 13.13) was fourth in the shot in his first English Schools final.

Joe Fuggle (Tonbridge, 54.58 PB) won the 400m hurdles final, Alasdair Kinloch (Tonbridge, 8min41.01sec) took silver at 3,000m and Alfie Scopes (Tonbridge, 49.84) claimed the discus title in this age group.

The senior boys’ events saw George Duggan (Tonbridge, 4.01.07) outwit the 1,500m field with a trademark sprint finish. Michael Watson (M&M, 11.41) was eliminated at the 100m semi-final stage.

Kathleen Faes (Tonbridge, 4.29.84) won the junior girls’ 1,500m final but Ashleigh West (M&M, 1.60) was ninth in the same event.

Chloe Sharp (Dartford Harriers, 4.33.64) took the intermediate 1,500m final by storm and there was silver for Holly Page (Dartford Harriers, 4.57.25) in the 1,500m steeplechase.

Kent claimed silver in the 4x100m (47.42) behind Surrey. Amber Durrant (M&M, 1.62) was fifth in the high jump and Megan Walsh (M&M, 41.30) was eliminated in the 300m heats.

In the senior girls' category, Darcey Kuypers (M&M, 12.63) reached the 100m semi-final.