The best of North Yorkshire's young schools-based athletic talent are gearing up for the National Schools' finals after proving their worth at the county schools' championships, writes Claire Hughes.

Hundreds of track and field performers gathered at Huntington Stadium for the trials, all having come through district qualifiers to make the grade so far.

Junior international 400 metres sprinter Richard Buck stepped out of his usual discipline to win the senior boys' 100m and 200m for Scarborough and Ryedale in times of 12 seconds dead and 23.8 respectively.

Nestl Rowntree runner Jess Taylor will also be a dead cert for the national competition next month after annihilating the field in the senior girls' 200m in a time of 24.8 - four seconds clear of the rest.

High jumper Anna Walford from Ryedale will also be looking to compete well in the inter girls' section after clearing 1.59 at the championship.

All of the winners will now be hoping to do their best for the county on the national stage come July 8-9 at Birmingham Alexander Stadium.

TWO York sisters claimed victory in an orienteering championship.

Victoria and Charlotte Myers, who both go to Huntington School, enjoyed success when they both took part in the Yorkshire Schools Championship on Sunday.

Year 8 student Charlotte won her event orienteering over a three-kilometre course, while her sister Vicky came an impressive third in over a course of 3.1km. Both girls received a medal for their efforts.

Stage one of the selection process for next season's York U11 Schoolboy football team to find the next set of potential champions was completed when 55 players were whittled down to just 28, who go through to the second round.

They are: Ross Miller, Jack Anderson, George Stagnell, Jack Ryder, Paul Winterburn, Adam Burton, Tom Allen, Sean Evans, Danny Smith, James Hall, Harry McMillan, Banicos Monoyiou, Will Ravenhall, Danny Barrett, Luke Phillips, Jack Littlechild, Liam Jackson, Josh Poulter, Lewis Rhodes, Elliot Frodsham, Ashley Taylor, Conor Wilson, Patrick Evans, Harry Cartaledge, Jonathan Derbyshire, Dan Wilson, Josh Stilgoe, Adam Graver.

The second trial takes place on Monday at the Sixth-Form College, starting at 6pm, where the remainder will be put through their paces in a bid to find a winning squad of 13 or 14 players.

Updated: 10:41 Wednesday, June 22, 2005