GEORGE Hyde, a student at Weaverham High School, claimed a national title at the weekend.

The 15-year-old won a gold medal in the inter boys’ shot during the English Schools’ Track and Field Championships at Gateshead.

It was a particularly sweet moment for the teenager after he finished as a runner-up in the junior boys’ category at last year’s edition.

And the West Cheshire Athletics Club member, representing Cheshire after winning the county schools’ title last month, finished first in style.

His put of 15.54m – a personal best – secured victory by more than 80cm over closest rival Victor Adebiyi (Essex).

There was medal success too for Vale Royal Athletics Club star Alfie Bould, who took bronze in the junior boys’ 1,500m final.

The 14-year-old from Sandbach School was third in his heat on Friday, timing 4.17.37, before running 4.09.03 little more than 24 hours later.

Grange School sprint duo Cameron Duff and Fisayo Williamson-Taylor, both Cheshire schools’ champions, missed out on a place in their respective finals.

Duff, also a double gold-medallist at the Independent Schools Association national championships in Birmingham 10 days earlier, was sixth in his junior boys’ 200m heat in 23.935s.

In the inter boys’ 100m, Williamson-Taylor eased through his heat before exiting at the semi-final stage.

Another sprinter, County High School Leftwich pupil Mia Lowndes, squeezed through to the junior girls’ 100m semi finals as a fastest loser following a high-quality first round.

The 14-year-old clocked 12.63s on her way to sixth at the next stage.

Two more middle-distance runners from Vale Royal competed in the north east.

Arun Dight was unlucky to miss out on a spot in the inter boy’s 1,500m final after timing 4.07.99 in his heat, while 18-year-old Amy Hinchly classified fifth overall for the same distance in the senior girls’ category.