NUNROYD Park, Yeadon, hosted the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional cross-country championships for People With Learning Disabilities with over 100 youngsters taking part in the more serious races whilst 57 others enjoyed a fun run.

Nunroyd, although picturesque, was a far cry from the venue in Sweden where race organiser Gordon Agar, of Otley, was recently with one of his protegees Thomas Poulton-White for the European Games For People With Learning Disabilities.

In a town no bigger than Otley they found a superb indoor athletics stadium similar to those all over Sweden.

Gordon said: 'We have just one indoor athletics track in England and that is in Birmingham and yet in a country like Sweden all the small towns have their own. There is no wonder we struggle to make progress in this country. We just don't have the facilities for either able bodied or disabled athletes.'

Gordon's travels as England middle distance coach for athletes with disabilities have taken him to a few countries and they all seem to be leaving England in their wake.

This is a view backed up by former local soccer player and referee Keith Urquhart who found an amazing 12 sports stadiums in the remote outback town of Alice Springs in Australia.

Gordon however put all these problems behind him as he used the bare facilities of Nunroyd to stage the championships in conjunction with Leeds City Council.

'The main thing was that all the kids had an enjoyable day. As well as competing they learned the social skills of integrating with other schools, enjoyed a picnic in the park as well as learning the responsibility of clearing up after themselves at the end of the day. Everyone who took part was presented with a certificate and they had a day to remember,' he said.

Gordon, who for a fourth successive year has been nominated for one of the Yorkshire Electricity Coach of the Year and Services to Sport awards, has been involved with coaching with the Skyrac club for more years than he cares to remember but is now strongly involved in sport for the disabled.

He is charged with organising the national championships for the English Sports Association for People with Learning Difficulties at Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield on June 24.

This involves him finding £5-6,000 to stage the event and he is desperately seeking sponsors for this from large amounts down to advertisements in the programme. Gordon can be contacted on 01943 466320 with any offers of help.

Back to the event at Nunroyd and among the schools taking part were Green Meadows at Guiseley, Calderdale, Haycliffe, Welburn, Victoria Park, Conisborough, Fulford and Holy Trinity.

Results were:

Boys, over 15 race of 2.4 miles - 1, David Davies (Calderdale) 11mins 55 secs; 2, Nicholas Ellis (Green Meadows) 15.25; 3, James Poyson (Haycliffe) 16.01. Other Green Meadows placings - 6, David Maskil 17.10; 7, Daniel Bulmer 17.21

Boys Under-15 - 1, John Bulmer (Haycliffe) 6.34; 2, Gary Wright (Fulford) 7.01; 3, Anthony Snowden (Haycliffe) 7.27. Green Meadows placings - 11, Craig Slaughter 8.41; 15, Richard McTear 8.46; 13, Aaron McTear 8.59; 17, Damien Atkins 9.19; 21, Thomas Lawson 10.14; 22, Michael Harrison 16.48; 23, Chris Holland 16.54.

Girls Under-15 - 1, Rachel Turner (Holy Trinity) 3.40; 2, June Clarke (Victoria Park) 3.44; 3, Janine Speight (Victoria Park) 5.15.

Girls Over-15 - 1, Claire Ryan (Haycliffe) 7.02; 2, Emma Knight (Haycliffe) 7.35; 3, Beverley Hawksworth (Green Meadows) 10.17; 4, Joanne Brown (Welburn Hall ) 12.06; 5, Lyndsey Flynn (Welburn Hall) 12.38.

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