Youngsters from across the north faced off in a series of sporting challenges at a prestigious Moray private school yesterday.
Pupils descended on the sun-drenched lawns of Gordonstoun’s King George V playing fields to launch an annual games event aimed at ramping up interest in athletics across the region.
As well as children attached to the Moray boarding school, young sports enthusiasts from Elgin Academy, Inverness Royal Academy, Culloden Academy, Millburn Academy and Milne’s High School in Fochabers took part.
A total of 150 children, from S1 to S3, hurled javelins across the sprawling lawn, propelled themselves incredible distances in long jump events and were put through their paces during several intense sprints.
Gordonstoun sports staff hope that pupils from the other secondary schools will now become more enthusiastic about athletics events.
Children from Inverness’s Millburn Academy dominated many of the sprint races, winning 100m, 200m and 800m efforts – relegating the home students to second place on each occasion.
S3 girls from Inverness Royal Academy won the javelin throwing contest and S3 boys from Elgin Academy took top honours at the high jump.
Children also took part in shot put games at a secluded spot on the lawn, as hundreds of children basked in the warm weather and cheered on their schoolmates.
Gordonstoun principal Simon Reid outlined his hopes that the gathering could have far-reaching benefits.
Mr Reid said: “This aimed to provide students from the north of Scotland with the opportunity to compete against other schools, and enable students to develop their athletics skills.
“We hope it has helped them acquire a long-term love of sport, and this is something which we hope to build on in the future.”