OXFORDSHIRE'S junior girls staged a storming finish to strike gold for the second successive year in the English Schools' Combined Events Midlands regional final at Berry Hill, Mansfield.

Lucy Boggis (Cokethorpe, Witney) took individual silver - despite carrying an injury - to lead Oxon to victory.

She was well supported by Gina Hood (Headington), who finished seventh, and Beth Hampson (Matthew Arnold, Cumnor), in 14th place.

It looked as if Boggis might struggle to complete the event, but she battled on and even did the long jump off just three strides.

She finished in second spot overall with 2,979 points, behind winner Jade Surman (West Midlands), who posted 3,353.

Oxon were in second place behind Bucks for four of the five rounds.

But Hampson produced a tremendous effort to finish five seconds ahead of Frances Hodgins of Bucks in her 800m with a personal best of 2mins 38.5secs.

And, in the last race, Hood, with a personal best of 2.33.5, and Boggis overhauled their Bucks rivals to take gold, with Derbyshire finishing runners-up.

Hood also equalled her personal best in the 75m with 13.6, while Hampson produced a pb in the shot of 6.06.

Now the Oxon trio go on to the English Schools' National finals at the Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield on September 20 and 21.

There were also some notable performances by Oxon athletes in the intermediate boys' competition.

Brendan Davies (Lord Williams's, Thame) produced five personal bests, plus the second fastest 1500m in the competition, in finishing 11th.

Jonathon Lodowski (Fitzharry's, Abingdon), competing in his first octathlon, and Wallingford's Mark Rumble, who launched the second-best discus throw with 37.02, both clocked up four pbs to fill the next two spots.

Next weekend, Oxon's leading athletes will be going for gold in the English Schools' Track & Field Championships, which are also in Sheffield.

OXON RESULTS

Girls

Intermediate - 13 R Hampson: 80mH, 13.5; high jump, 1.36pb; shot, 6.37; 200m, 28.9; long jump, 4.28; javelin, 18.92; 800m, 50.2. 3034pts. 15 S Lewis: 80mH, 17.5pb; high jump, 1.42; shot, 6.21; 200m, 28.3; long jump, 4.04; javelin, 17.29pb; 800m, 55.4. 2667pts. 16 S Bazykiewic: 80mH, 14.8; high jump, 1.39pb; shot, 5.92; 200m, 28.6; long jump, 4.56; javelin, 15.06pb; 800m, 21.4. 2664pts. Team: 6 Oxon 6929pts.

Junior - 2 L Boggis: 75m, 11.6; shot, 9.83; high jump, 1.59; long jump, 5.69; 800m, 2.32.5. 2979pts. 7 G Hood: 75m, 13.6 =pb; shot, 7.03; high jump, 1.44; long jump, 4.52; 800m, 33.5pb. 2486pts. 14 B Hampson: 75m, 13.4; shot, 6.06pb; high jump, 1.38; long jump, 4.38; 800m, 38.5pb. 2284pts. Team: 1 Oxon 7749pts.

Boys

Intermediate - 11 B Davies: long jump, 5.30pb; discus, 22.30pb; javelin, 25.15pb; 400m, 52.9pb; 100mH, 17.0pb; high jump, 1.57; shot, 8.34; 1500m, 37.2. 3666pts pb. 12 J Lodowski: long jump, 5.46pb; discus, 26.23pb; javelin, 24.36; 400m, 52.8pb; 100mH, 16.7pb; high jump, 1.48; shot, 7.81; 1500m, 53.9. 3,593pts pb. 13 M Rumble: long jump, 5.01pb; discus, 37.02; javelin, 44.45; 400m, 59.9pb; 100mH: 20.4pb; high jump, 1.63; shot, 12.50; 1500m, 43.0pb. 3585pts pb. 25 J Hill: long jump, 4.19; discus, 16.68pb; javelin, 15.02; 400m, 60.5; 100mH, 19.4pb; high jump, 1.42; shot, 5.99; 1500m, 57.1. 2374pts pb. Team: 5 Oxon 10844pts.

Junior - 17 O Berger: 1665pts.