A TALENTED Yorkshire Cross Country team from Bradford Grammar School (BGS) have been shortlisted for the Bradford Sports Awards.

A junior girls team, which includes Rebecca Flaherty, Martha Jackson, Amelie Lane, Phoebe Midgley, Elizabeth Gibbins and Eleanor Dawson, made the journey to Ipswich for the English Schools’ Cross Country final where they took the silver medal position.

And their achievement has been acknowledged by being shortlisted in the student club/team category for Active Achievers, with the winner being revealed at a ceremony at Bradford City's Valley Parade ground on Thursday, March 7.

Read more: Check out all the candidates shortlisted for the Bradford Sports awards

Also in the running for the accolade are Baildon Church of England Primary School (boccia) and Woodhouse Grove under-16s (netball).

Lead teacher for cross country at BGS, Mike McCartney, said: “The girls are amazing. They all give their absolute best – a display of true Yorkshire grit!

"It is approaching 20 years since Bradford Grammar went fully co-educational, and so to have girls’ teams shortlisted for the Bradford Sports Awards for the first time in the school’s history is a fantastic achievement. I am immensely proud.”

Since 2016, Bradford has celebrated the sporting success and unsung heroes of local talent. The awards have seen over 350 attendees for each of the last three years, all who come to recognise the efforts of players, coaches, volunteers and administrators.

BGS, which also counts Olympic medallists Alistair and Jonny Brownlee among its prestigious alumni, is undergoing a £4m investment in its sports facilities. It has also brought in several new sports names as part of the redevelopment, with a wealth of experience, from ex professionals and internationals to national league and age group international athletes who have represented Team GB.

McCartney added: “There’s a really lovely team spirit among the runners at BGS. They’re such nice kids and they all really get on together and support each other.

“We believe that if you lay the right foundations for sport, it creates stronger athletes. It’s why it’s important for our pupils to focus on developing key skills, which are transferable, and experiencing a range of different sports. The right foundations provide solid grounding for longer sporting careers. We’re very proud of our runners and we look forward to watching them flourish.”