OXFORDSHIRE’S athletes had plenty to celebrate despite finding the opposition too hot in the ESAA English Schools’ Combined Events Championships at Bedford, writes RUSSELL SMITH.

The county’s two teams finished fourth in both the intermediate boys’ octathlon and the intermediate girls’ heptathlon.

Although they found the going tough in the individual competitions, Oxon’s competitors produced a host of fine performances.

Abingdon School’s Peter Barnshaw led the way for Oxfordshire, finishing 18th in the 38-strong boys’ field with 4,231 points, which included personal bests in the discus (28.09) and 100m hurdles (14.81).

Ed O’Hara, of Larkmead School, Abingdon, was 21st with a personal best 4,161 points.

He notched personal bests in the javelin (29.65), 400m (53.66), 100m hurdles (14.82) and shot (10.72).

Wheatley Park’s Marcus Woodington, who with Barnshaw and O’Hara won won team gold for Oxfordshire in the junior boys’ pentathlon at Birmingham last year, recorded seven personal best in finishing 24th.

Competing in his first oct-athlon, Jackson Curtis, from Cokethorpe School, Witney, stood fifth after the javelin, the event he won bronze in at the English Schools’ Track & Fields Championships at Sheffield in July.

He slipped back to finish 25th.

Oxfordshire’s girls were in the bronze medal position after six events of the heptathlon, but dropped down to fourth following the final event, the 800m.

Emily Carstairs, of Lord Williams’s School, Thame, led the way in 27th place with 3,524 points, which included a pb of 21.78m in the javelin.

Sian Huxtable, of Gillotts School, Henley, was a place back in 28th with 3,466 points.

Her tally included a personal best of 4.47m in the long jump.

OXFORDSHIRE RESULTS Intermediate boys octathlon – 18 P Barnshaw (long jump: 5.91; discus: 28.09pb; javelin: 22.97; 400m: 51.82; 100mH: 14.81pb; high jump: 1.63; shot: 9.19; 1500m: 4.42.31) 4,231pts. 21 E O’Hara (long jump: 5.38; discus: 24.31; javelin 29.65pb; 400m: 53.66pb; 100mH: 14.82pb; high jump: 1.66; shot: 10.72pb; 1500m: 4.44.77) 4,161pts pb. 24 M Woodington (long jump: 5.61pb; discus: 21.74pb; javelin: 38.13pb; 400m: 55.07pb; 100mH: 14.09; high jump: 1.63 =pb; shot: 9.71pb; 1500m: 5.01.10pb) 4,119pts pb. 25 J Curtis (long jump: 5.47pb; discus: 36.06; javelin: 51.40; 400m: 56.55pb; 100mH: 15.78pb; high jump: 1.57pb; shot: 12.61pb; 1500m: 6.31.08pb) 4,053pts pb. Team: 4 Oxon 12,511pts.

Intermediate girls heptathlon – 27 E Carstairs (80mH: 13.28; high jump: 1.45; shot: 7.64; 200m: 27.25; long jump: 4.27; javelin: 21.78pb; 800m: 2.41.54) 3,524pts. 28 S Huxtable (80mH: 13.01; high jump: 1.36; shot: 8.30; 200m: 27.53; long jump: 4.47pb; javelin: 21.98; 800m: 2.47.63) 3,466pts. 32 L Brown (80mH: 13.17; high jump: 1.51; shot: 6.72pb; 200m: 28.63; long jump: 4.68pb; javelin: 18.62pb; 800m: 2.53.65) 3,350pts. 38 A Charlton (80mH: dnf; high jump: 1.45; shot: 6.64pb; 200m: dnf; long jump: 4.12; javelin: 19.68pb; 800m: dnf) 1,497pts. Team: 4 Oxon 10,340pts.