VALE Royal Athletics Club runners defeated rivals who have represented their country to be crowned regional champions at the weekend.

Amy Hinchly scored a fine victory in the under 17s girls’ 1,500m final at the Northern Championships in Liverpool, edging English schools’ champion Rosie Johnson (Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton) in a race to the line.

After a tactical battle, the 15-year-old claimed gold in 4:44.09.

Clubmate Elliot Bowker repeated the trick on Sunday, defeating fellow England international Patrick Dever (Preston Harriers) by the narrowest of margins with Daniel Lawton (Trafford) only inches adrift of both.

The County High School Leftwich student secured first place in 4:10.42 with Dever timing 4:10.48.

St Nicholas RC High School pupil Jenny Pyatt, representing Halton and Frodsham Harriers, threw 33.26m to secure victory in the under 15s girls’ discus final.

Ben Lee, 12, raced against boys up to three years older in the under 15s 800m, finishing eighth in 2:24.73.