HERMITAGE Academy athlete Alex Burns was crowned Scottish Schools' under-16 girls' long jump champion at the recent Scottish Schools’ Indoor Track and Field Championships in Glasgow.

Alex's performance was the highlight for Hermitage as several of the school's pupils did battle at the event.

The top athletes from schools across the country were at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow to compete for medals, and the Hermitage pupils did not disappoint.

The students who attended had to reach specific qualifying times, distances and heights before they could be entered in the competition.

The Hermitage Academy students were performing in a number of events and the competition was fierce. First up on Wednesday, February 1 was the 1500m races on the track with only one runner certain to qualify from each heat.

Melissa Robinson, Robert Whittick and Bryn Davies all ran well but unfortunately did not make it through the heats.

It was then the turn of Alex Burns, competing in the 200m, and despite a stumble at the start she qualified for the semi-final by winning her heat, coming fourth in that race.

Kirsty Williamson competed in the under-16 Girls Shot Putt in the afternoon, finishing a creditable 13th out of 39 with a personal best of 8.63m.

Thursday, February 2 also saw seven Hermitage competitors in action.

The highlight of the performances over the two days was that of Alex in the over-16 girls' long jump.

She looked comfortable and jumped 5.40m on her opening effort. This jump was to lead the competition until round five where Alex increased her lead to 5.64m, a new personal best.

The last round of jumps produced some great results but no-one got close to Alex and she was crowned Scottish Schools’ indoor track and field over-16 long jump champion.

Josh Bain’s High Jump competition started first and he cleared 1.55m.

Sinead Owen ran a personal best of 46.45s in the under-16 girls' 300m to qualify for the semi-final and then cleared 1.30m in the High Jump competition.