TEN Schools from all over West Dunbartonshire took part in the Sportshall Finals last week for the honour of representing the area at the national finals next year.

West Dunbartonshire Council's Sports Development Officer, Angus MacDonald said: “West Dunbartonshire Leisure Sports Development Sportshall has now been running for around 20 years and each year I think it can’t get any better but this has to be the closest final I have seen since taking over the post.

"We have fantastic coaches that go in and deliver a four week programme to every school in WD and the transformation to the heats and then the final is amazing to see with only a small contact of coaching given.

"Around 200 athletes took part in the final and represented their school with performances they should be proud off. The talent they showed they really need to make sure they are with an athletics club or part of one of the Run, Jump and Throw classes. It was also great to see our special visitor mascot - Bonnie the Seal from the European Championships 2018 - Glasgow 2018."

This is the first time West Dunbartonshire Leisure have had a super team which consisted of the best scored boy team and best scored girls team from the four heats coming together to make a super team.

Mr MacDonald added: "To get to the WDL Sports Development final all West Dunbartonshire Schools are given a four week coaching programme where we teach Primary 6 the basics of running, jumping and throwing.

"WDL then holds four heats with the top two teams being invited to the final. To make the final 10 teams we had one school that qualified in the heats by coming two teams in second place then the last team was our first ever super team."

The results from the Sportshall Finals were: 1st St Mary’s Duntocher – 364; =2nd Goldenhill - 316 and Edinbarnet - 316; 4th Super team – St Mary’s (Alexandria) boys and St Michael’s girls – 312; 5th Knoxland – 302;6th St Patrick’s – 244; 7th Renton – 226; 8th Bonhill – 218; 9th Christie Park – 194; and10th St Joseph’s – 178.

St Marys, Duntocher, have now qualified for the Regional Sportshall Final with will take place February 2019.

West Dunbartonshire Leisure's next event is a Cross Country on Friday, May 11 in Balloch Park with more than 660 runners already entered. All schools from West Dunbartonshire from primary five to S2 will be taking part as well as pupils from Hermitage Academy