DORSET trio Patrick Sylla, Hannah Molyneaux and Danielle Broom struck gold at the English Schools’ Championships in Birmingham.

Sylla’s mighty leap of seven metres exactly, secured the gold in the intermediate long jump. It was his best ever jump into a headwind.

After the heartache of injury during last year’s warm-up, there were nervous times again for the Oakmead student.

Sylla was pushed hard by South Yorkshire Schools’ champion Matthew Miller who finished just a single centimetre down. Molyneaux (Bournemouth School for Girls), meanwhile, went into the junior girls’ shot championships with only a narrow rankings lead, but her 12.85m monster throw won the title by 80cm, while Broom won the junior girls’ discus title with a throw of 32.90m.

The Avonbourne pupil made it a golden double for Bourne- mouth AC throws coach Paul Rees, whose group also gained a bronze as Tom Peters threw 46.24m in the intermediate discus.

Two Dorset shot-putters finish- ed fifth in their respective finals, Matthew Ridge (13.85m, senior boys) and Bethan Burley (11.48m) behind Molyneaux in the juniors.

Eight Dorset athletes achieved personal bests during the prestigious two day meeting.

English Schools’ Track & Field Championships at Birmingham (Dorset results)

Senior Boys, 200m: 4 heat 1 Kevin Hodgson 22.11. Shot: 5 Matthew Ridge 13.85m. Discus: 14 Ryan Smith 38.99m, 16 Matthew Curtis 35.20.

Intermediate Boys, 200m: 6 heat 4 Scott Rutter 22.55 pb. 100m Hurdles: 5 heat 1 Lewis Shepherd 13.71. Long Jump: 1 Patrick Sylla 7.00m Discus 3 Tom Peters 46.24m pb.

Junior Boys, 1500m: 10 Thomas Bourne 4:20.78 (heat 4:19.64). Shot: 7 Jack Howlett 12.74m pb. Discus: 8 Christopher McIntosh 37.57m. Javelin: 12 Ben Dickinson 45.72m.

Intermediate Girls, 1500m: 8 Bridget Dence 4:39.37 pb. 300m Hurdles: 8 heat 2 Olivia Hunter 48.80. High Jump: 11 Rosie Wootten 1.65m pb=. Triple Jump: 15 Angel Kerin 10.51m. Hammer: 10 Ashleigh Power 46.30m (qualifying 48.47m), 11 pool B Ellie White 41.50m pb.

Junior Girls, 100m: 6 sf 1 Pippa Hine 12.97 (heat 12.70 pb). 800m: 6 Grace Copeland 2:17.06 (heat 2:13.91 pb). 70m Hurdles: 8 sf 1 Iona Sheerin (Hants) 13.60 (heat 11.64). 4x100m: 6 heat 1 Dorset 51.55. Shot: 1 Hannah Molyneaux 12.85m, 5 Bethan Burley 11.48m. Discus: 1 Danielle Broom 32.90m. Javelin: 9 Eva Bowring 34.25m, 10 pool A Tamsin Miller 32.71.