LILA McManus from Omagh Integrated Primary School and Harry McVeigh from Bunscoil Bheanna Boirche, Castlewellan, have been crowned winners of the Flahavan’s Athletics NI Primary School Cross Country League, after securing first place in the boys’ and girls’ races at the highly anticipated final, which took place at Mallusk Playing Fields.
Over 306 local athletes from 82 schools across Northern Ireland competed at the final, with the top 20 girls and top 20 boys now invited to join the Flahavan’s Athletics NI Junior Endurance Squad. Involvement in the squad will provide training sessions to the successful athletes over the next 12-months for further support and enhancement in their personal development and athletic careers.
The 2023-2024 league hosted over 6,100 competitors from 176 schools across Northern Ireland aged between 9 and 12 years old and was represented by Flahavan’s ambassador and County Down native Hannah Gilliland. At the final, Stranmillis Primary School, Belfast topped the leaderboard to be recognised as the overall best-performing boys’ school whilst Kings Park Primary School, Lurgan was recognised as the overall best-performing girls’ school. Both schools will now receive a visit from Hannah, who will host a meet and greet with the young athletes following their achievements.
Speaking at the final, Elaine Grant, CEO at Athletics NI said: “After a very competitive final I’d like to congratulate all the young athletes who took part this
year, with months of training and dedication to the league, they should all be so proud of themselves. I have witnessed how much commitment and hard work they have all put in over the past few months, and I know this won’t be the last time we hear of many of these athletes, as we’ve witnessed some extraordinary talent this year.”
This year marked the 13th consecutive year of the Flahavan’s sponsorship, which supports the young athletes in maintaining a balanced and healthy diet whilst leading an active lifestyle.
Commenting on the sponsorship, Alice Quirke, Brand Manager for Flahavan’s, added: “We’re thrilled to have sponsored this incredible event for the past 13 years. The athletes every year never cease to amaze with the level of athletic talent and the number of pupils eager to be involved, we hope that they’re all delighted with their achievements in this year’s league.
“It’s so important to encourage these young athletes to maintain a nutritious and healthy diet, especially whilst their training and competing, as they need the fuel and energy to be at their absolute best. Huge congratulations to the winners, Harry McVeigh and Lila McManus, and to all the pupils who took part across 2023-2024, it’s a massive accomplishment to reach the final and we hope they’re all very proud of themselves. We wish all athletes the best as they progress in their sport.”
To learn more about Flahavan’s full range of oat-based products and how you can fuel your run with tasty recipes, follow @Flahavans on Facebook and Instagram.
Lila McManus from Omagh Integrated Primary School was first to cross the finish line in the girls’ final of the Flahavan’s Primary School Cross Country League, followed by Lucia McMullen from Kings Park Primary School, Lurgan, in second place.
