SWINDON Harriers’ talented group of young athletes plundered a bucket full of medals at the South West Schools Track and Field Championships at the Exeter Arena last weekend.

Representing both Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, the youngsters won a total of 12 medals, comprising of six golds, three silvers, and three bronzes.

In the junior boys' 100m, there was a stunning win for 14-year-old Jonathan Dumbutshena, who is coached by Tony Jackson.

Dumbutshena won with an electronic personal best time of 11.51secs, although he also clocked a hand-timed 11.4secs to win the Wiltshire Schools' the previous weekend.

Al Virgilio, who is coached by Kevin Buttle, produced his best run of the summer with a superb win-from-the-front victory in the junior boys' 800m.

Reaching the bell in 57 seconds, Virgilio showed great strength and determination to hold his form and cross the finish line in a big PB of 2mins 00.43secs.

“It was fun,” said Virgilio. “But I have never felt so bad after a race – everything hurt and I could barely walk!”

Both those wins came from Wiltshire athletes, but Lucy Bull, who is coached by Alan Brown in the throws, won the junior girls' javelin with a mighty throw of 35.15m while wearing the Gloucestershire vest - again another superb PB.

Ella Spencer, who is in John Dill's group, was also in Gloucestershire colours and she celebrated a thumping victory - by half a minute - in the inter girls' 3000m clocking 10:02.51.

Representing Wiltshire, Laila-Jae Belgrave - who is also coached by Jackson - was an impressive winner of the inter girls' 80m hurdles in a PB time of 12.13secs.

For good measure, Belgrave also won a bronze in the 100m with a big PB of 12.52secs which gave her an equal share of third place as the photo finish couldn’t separate her from Gloucestershire’s Elinor Farrier.

Finally, the sixth gold also came in the throws from another member of Brown’s talented group. Sam Innes claiming a PB of 45.64m to win the senior boys' javelin.

Silver medals went to the Wiltshire par of Holly Scott (junior hammer, 39.32m), Billy Dickinson (inter boys hammer, PB of 54.83) and Gloucestershire's Fletcher Hart (inter boys 1500m, 4:14.49).

In addition to Belgrave’s third place, further bronze medals were won by Katie New (senior girls javelin with a PB of 32.79) and Khaya Swaine (inter girls 800m 2:20.48).

There were also top-six finishes for Archie Kinnear (5th, inter hammer), Oakley Hogan (6th junior discus PB), Abigail Hackley 6th (inter 200m PB), Oluseyi Easn (4th junior shot PB) and Amelie Reivers (6th junior javelin).