SAM Dykes became the first mid Cheshire athlete to reach a final on track as the Aviva English Schools’ Track and Field Championships started today.

The Grange School runner placed third in his heat in the senior boys’ 800m at Gateshead, clocking 1:52.13, to reserve a spot in tomorrow morning’s final.

A champion at junior boys level in 2008, the 18-year-old Warrington Athletics Club member will hope to be in contention again.

Earlier today Weaverham High School’s Jacob Williamson exited the junior boys’ 80m hurdles at the first round stage after finishing sixth in his heat.

However the 14-year-old, who only took up athletics two years ago, did record a personal best of 11.93s.

James Ayre, also a pupil at Weaverham, was one of the first athletes out on track this morning in the inter boys’ 800m first round.

But the 16-year-old, runner-up in the Cheshire Schools’ Championships earlier this month, did not make it through to this afternoon’s semi finals from a competitive field.

County club and schools’ champion Katie Gerrard (Grange School) crossed the line in ninth position in the second junior girls’ 1,500m heat.

Her time – 4:51.32 – was one of her fastest ever but still not enough to earn a final place.

James Webster, also from the Hartford school, is in action too in the inter boys’ 400m hurdles while thrower Amy Howarth (Weaverham) has begun her bid to win a medal in the junior girls’ discus.