THE Wee County's up and coming athletes came together to face off in the Secondary School Cross Country Championships.

Organised and run by the Council’s Active Schools and Sports Development team, the event saw hundreds of teens converge on Lornshill Academy for the day.

This annual competition provides pupils the chance to test themselves against each other in four races: S1/2 Boys, S1/2 Girls, S3-6 Boys and S3-6 girls, with the S1/2 pupils completing a one-mile course and the S3-6 pupils completing 1.5 miles.

Although pupils ran in races across age groups medals were awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each individual age group from S1 to S6.

All the races were very competitive with some amazing times being posted by runners showing the strength that Clackmannanshire has in cross country running.

The top runners from this event will now go forward to represent both their school and Clackmannanshire at the Forth Valley Cross Country Championships to be held at Bannockburn High School next March where they will take on the best athletes from Stirling and Falkirk schools.

Scottish Athletics Officials took charge of starting every race, and the event was also supported by volunteers from Wee County Harriers and Forth Valley Disability Sport and pupils from Lornshill Academy.

The winning results were – S1 Girls: Mirren Henry (Alloa); S1 Boys: Robb Ferguson (Lornshill); S2 Girls: Shona Whyte (Lornshill; S2 Boys: Macaully Snaddon (Alloa); S3 Girls: Olivia Darwin (Alva); S4 Boys: Kyle Robertson (Alva); S4 Girls: Grace Tindall (Alva); S4 Boys: Scott Abel (Alva); S5 Boys: Brandon Jardine (Alloa); S6 Girls: Hannah Miller (Alva); S6 Boys: Glen Black (Lornshill)

Meanwhile, the Clackmannanshire Primary School Sports Associations Cross Country Championships 2018 also took place at Lornshill.

This annual event sees teams from all primary schools compete in the one mile route for P5, P6 and P7 pupils.

Medals were presented to the individuals who finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each category, with badges for the top ten runners and certificates for the top three school teams in each category.

All the races were very competitive with some amazing times being achieved by runners. There were over 400 pupils entered in the event and they were all very well prepared by their schools.

Wee County Harriers have been supporting the build up to this event and the event on the day, and some of the pupils are members of the club.

The top runners from this event will also go forward to represent both their school and Clackmannanshire at the Forth Valley championships at Bannockburn High School.

Richard O’Grady from Scottish Athletics took charge of starting every race. The event was also supported by volunteers from Wee County Harriers, Forth Valley Disability Sport and pupils from Lornshill Academy.

The winning results were – P5 Girls: Menstrie; P5 Boys: Menstrie; P6 Girls: Menstrie; P6 Boys: Menstrie; P7 Girls: Tillicoultry PS; P7 Boys: Craigbank