District’s youngsters gather for celebration of school sport

Robbie Hunter-Paul, ex-Bradford Bulls and Huddersfield Giants captain, and New Zealand international rugby league player was the guest of honour at the 13th youth games held in Leeds yesterday.

He led the opening ceremony of the games where 1,000 athletes from schools across West Yorkshire gathered to compete in the culmination of the year’s school sport competition programme.

Ninety schools and 127 teams took part this year in the largest games organised so far by West Yorkshire Sport, a county sports partnership.

The majority of the events took place at the Leeds Metropolitan University’s Carnegie Headingley campus .

However, the Kwik Cricket competition was held at the Weetwood campus of the University of Leeds.

Nigel Harrison, director of West Yorkshire Sport said: “These games are the sporting highlight for hundreds of young athletes across the five districts and are often the first time many of them will taste the excitement of a major event.”

The young competitors took part in 10 sports yesterday including athletics, tag rugby, tennis, badminton, netball and gymnastics.