Skipton’s Rebecca Lambson made a resolute bid for glory in the finals of the English Schools’ Athletics Championships at Birmingham.

But it proved to be a case of ‘so near yet so far’ as she finally crossed the line in fifth position in a hotly-contested senior girls’ 3,000 metre classic.

However, Lambson – who clocked a very creditable 9min 55.70sec – can take much credit for having arrived this far, inclusive of her having won a couple of county schools titles at 1,500 metres and 3,000 metres along the way.

Now on the verge of leaving Skipton Girls’ High, where she had fulfilled sixth-form studies to pursue a career in medicine, she has figured as a fine role model for her school.

The same goes for Aireville School before that, and she has also flown the flag triumphantly for Skipton Athletics Club.

The intensity of the English Schools’ Athletics finals might best be typified through the knowledge that quite a number of future World Championships and Olympic stars, such as Denise Lewis, Christine Ohuruogu, Jessica Ennis and Kelly Holmes have figured there in recent years.

And, significantly, not all of them finished top.

In endurance events, Lambson’s fifth position made her the highest ever finisher among female athletes from Craven schools, although others have figured higher in explosive events and, most notably in recent times, Harriet Pickles of Skipton Girls’ High then a sixth-former at South Craven, who won silver in the senior girls’ triple jump three years ago.

An impact injury soon afterwards prompted a halt to serious athletics but the Cononley girl has meanwhile kept herself fit, and made a very worthy impression, for good measure, in women’s football.

Latterly she made a welcome return to athletics and ran close to her personal bests, including the triple jump, with a winning treble in a Northern League meeting at Cleckheaton. Ingham has coached both Lambson and Billy Pinder to success at Yorkshire under-18 level.