Scottish-ranked long and triple jump youngsters go the distance as Knockando Athletics Group hosts Moray Secondary Schools Horizontal Jumps Championships
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Moray can lay claim to some of Scotland's best long jump and triple jump athletes, thanks to the facilities available in the small village of Knockando.
And the Scottish Athletics competition-standard jumps runway and pit in Speyside hosted a major schools event this summer.
The Moray secondary schools horizontal jumps championships attracted four Moray triple jump athletes who are all ranked in Scotland's top ten for their age groups.
Similarly, five long jump stars from Moray who find themselves in the Scottish top 20 took part in the meeting.
Knockando Athletics Group coach Margery Swinton, who spearheaded the campaign to create a top class athletics arena in her home community, was the organiser of the secondary event having held a primary schools long jump competition there a week earlier.
She described the latest meet as a very high quality competition, with athletes braving some light rain and gusts of wind to enjoy some improved weather later in the day.
"From enthusiastic Moray primary school jumpers to the dedicated, hard work from the secondary athletes and their specialist coaches, combined with access to proper facilities and competitions, great progress has been made with horizontal jumps in Moray over the last few years," she said.
"Now this can be rewarded by the holding of Moray schools horizontal jumps championships."
Among those taking part was Elgin Amateur Athletics Club star Holly Whittaker (14) who is currently ranked as Scottish number one in the long jump for her age group - as well as UK number one in pentathlon.
Anna Reid is Scottish number two in triple jump and ranked fourth in the country for long jump in her age category, while Lexi Grant is Scotland's fourth-best in triple jump and ninth in long jump for her age.
Lossie High pupil Andrew Lumsden won the under-17 men's triple jump, with Anna Reid (Elgin Academy) taking the under-17 women's title with a jump of 10.51 metres, beating Elgin High's Lexi Grant by 17cm.
Elgin High's Gemma Forgie won the under-15 girls' triple jump (8.76m).
In the long jump, Jenna Gage (Elgin High) won the under-13 girls ahead of Speyside High pupil Rowan Bain, who managed a personal best leap of 3.71 metres.
Speyside High's Ted Bosomworth was the under-13 boys' winner and Holly Whittaker claimed the under-15 girls title to add to her growing collection of honours this year. Fellow Elgin High pupil Gemma Forgie was second and Buckie High's Sylvie Slater produced her longest jump yet of 3.59 metres to finish third.
Lexi Grant (Elgin High) came up with a jump of 4.94 metres to gain a measure of revenge on Elgin AAC team-mate Anna Reid, who was edged into second place (4.76m). Georgia Grant was third for Elgin High (4.15m).
Lumsden also won the under-17 men's long jump with 5.14m, easing Elgin High's Ruaridh MacKenzie Copp (4.42m) into second.
Swinton thanked the athletes and officials who were involved on the day, and the local Co-op store for providing water.
