Southend High for Boys has every right to call itself the top athletics school in the country following an unprecedented double victory in the English Schools' Track and Field Cup Final at Basildon's Gloucester Park.

The school came out on top in both the junior and intermediate boys sections at the Sky Sports sponsored national event - the first time any institution has swept the board in the two boys' categories.

In front of an enthusiastic crowd basking in the Basildon sunshine, they won the intermediate boys event with 517 points - five ahead of St Ignatius College, Middlesex.

The junior success was closer - Southend (479 points) won by a single point from another Middlesex team, St Thomas More, to defend the crown they won last year.

Making the win all the more remarkable is the fact that not a single one of the Southend boys will go to the national schools individual competition at Exeter next weekend.

Proud PE teacher Steve Thomas noted as much when he said afterwards: "There are no stars on the team. This was a triumph for the teamwork the lads put in."

The school's achievement should not be underestimated - more than 600 teams started out in the competition in each category and reaching the 12-team final at all was no mean feat.

In total, south Essex had five teams from three schools at the finals. As well as the two Southend High for Boys teams, the area was represented with grit and determination by Fitzwimarc (4th, junior boys with 470 points and 3rd, intermediate girls with 399), plus Southend High for Girls (5th, intermediate girls with 388 points).

The Intermediate girls event was won on 411 points by specialist sports school Millfield, from Somerset, while another Essex team, Chelmsford County High, won the junior girls with 367.

The efforts of all the 600-odd competitors on a thrilling day were fitting reward for the organisers.

The event was originally due to be held in Kent, but Basildon was asked to step in at the last minute when the original hosts, Ashford, had to pull out.

Yet you wouldn't have noticed there was a race against time to stage the event, so slick did it all pass off.

Essex Schools AA secretary Rob Edwards paid tribute to those who had made the event possible.

He said: "When Ashford pulled out I knew I could rely on Basildon and I'd like to thank the council and Gloucester Park for staging it. I'd also like to say a word of thanks to all the officials and behind the scenes staff who have put in so much time and effort.

"The atmosphere has been brilliant and it's been an excellent competition - around three or four championship bests have been broken."

(Right) Best shot - Fitzwimarcshot putt competitor Katy Bennett prepares for her throw at Basildon on Saturday

(Left) And they're off - at Gloucester Park

Photos by ELISE GOW and ROBIN WOOSEY

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.