A large Garenne Stand crowd gets behind these boys. (0595758)

MATTHEW LINEHAN won the top individual award at the Smokebusters junior schools’ athletics championships at Foote’s Lane.

Watched by hundreds of parents and close family, the R. G. Falla sponsored event is the highlight of the junior schools sports programme and more than 400 children competed in sprints, hurdles and relays.

Linehan, a Year 5 pupil from St Mary and St Michael, won the Tony Bougourd prize for the outstanding performance on the night. His impressive victories in the sprints and final leg in the relay showed the great potential he has as a future athlete.

Meanwhile, fellow St Mary and St Michael pupil Ali Higgins  impressed with a convincing win in the girls Year 6 B race, while Ebony-Rae Rumens continued the school’s winning ways with an impressive victory in the Year 6 girls A race.