STUDENTS upheld their academy’s reputation for sporting talent and competitive spirit in an annual four-way tournament.
The Emmanuel Schools Foundation 'Olympics' saw Northumberland, Yorkshire, Teesside and Tyneside competing for the honours.
Bede Academy, in Blyth, hosted the event, welcoming players and runners from The King's Academy, Coulby Newham, Emmanuel College in Gateshead, and Trinity Academy, Thorne, near Doncaster.
Teams from across the year groups competed in netball, hockey, volleyball, football, rugby and cross country, held on the sands at Blyth beach in a biting coastal wind.
In the team games, all the schools played each other in two hours of matches held in Bede Academy's sports hall, on its pitches and multi-use games area as well as at its rugby ground in Plessey Road, Blyth.
And the hosts did themselves proud, winning four out of the six disciplines – cross country, football, hockey and netball – being runners-up in the rugby to Emmanuel College, and coming third in the volleyball.
Bede’s director of sport Simon McAree said: "It was our turn to host our sister schools in our annual ESF 'Olympics' and our pleasure to welcome students from all over the north to Blyth for a day of sport and friendship.
“The wind and cold tested everyone but the competitors weren't put off and everyone put in fantastic effort in the name of their school.
"It's a big day for our PE departments and it's also a great opportunity for staff to come together, to share ideas and cheer on their students in our friendly but competitive contests."
Next year, it’s the turn of The King’s Academy to host the ESF ‘Olympics’.
