YORK swimmer Annie Johnston admits she surprised even herself as she claimed two medals at the Sainsbury’s 2013 School Games.

With more than 1,600 young athletes converging on Sheffield to compete across 12 different sports, you could have excused Johnson for disappearing into the crowd.

However the 15-year-old made sure she still made a splash at the Sainsbury’s School Games, supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, as she climbed the podium at Ponds Forge not once but twice.

Johnston kicked things off by touching home in two minutes, 38.22 seconds to take home bronze in the 200 metres breaststroke, before returning 24 hours later to help England North on their way to second overall with a silver in the 400m medley team event.

The Easingwold School pupil also finished just off the podium in fourth in the 100m breaststroke but it did little to dampen her spirits in the Steel City.

“It’s really good to get these School Games medals because I wasn’t expecting it and I’ve only just got back into training,” York City Baths Club’s Johnston said.

“I’m really happy with it. The times were really close, and I got a personal best in the 200m breaststroke so I was really happy with that.

“This was my first School Games and it’s really good and I love it. I think it’s a really good experience.

“The atmosphere is really good because everyone is really supportive and getting behind the team.

“Hopefully I can build on this and from here I would like to get qualifying times, like British Champs or Nationals qualifying times, and then I can compete at more higher competitions.”

There was also plenty of interest over the weekend at Don Valley – the home of Britain’s golden girl Jessica Ennis-Hill hosting it’s last-ever athletics event before being demolished.

And while City of York AC’s Rowan Palmour finished fourth in the girls’ high jump, there was no such trouble for team-mate George Davies as he claimed silver in the boy’s javelin with a best throw of 63.06m.

There was also joy for City of York’s Tom Somers as he claimed 200m gold in 21.17 seconds, a time that would have seen him set a new Sainsbury’s School Games record had the wind not been over the allowed limit.

“I am really pleased to come here and win gold and put in a good time too,” said Somers, who became the second fastest 16-year-old Brit over 200m when he finished fourth at July’s World Youth Championships in 20.84 seconds.

“It was a shame it didn’t count as a competition record because of the wind but there is nothing I can do about that and the gold medal is good anyway.”

• The Sainsbury’s 2013 School Games, which is supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, was held in venues across Sheffield from 12-15 September 2013. Visit www.2013schoolgames.com for more information.