OAKLANDS Athletics Academy students triumphed at a prestigious sports event, scooping three gold, three silver and two bronze medals at the event this month.

The St Albans and Welwyn Garden City based students competed against older athletes from universities and colleges in the Southern England Students Sports Association (SESSA) Championships.

Heptathlete Bunmi Awokoya achieved a gold medal for the shot put and a silver medal for the long jump.

Tonderai Tomu and Rhys Glastonbury earned gold medals for the 400m and 1,500m respectively, while Ronnie Sparke secured the silver medal for the 1,500m.

Kenny Howard won the bronze medal for the 60m and Chantelle Bazzoni also walked away with a bronze medal in the 1,500m. Oaklands Academy students running the 4 x 200m relay were literally pipped, coming a close second place.

Oaklands' Athletics Academy has got off to a great start since it was formed in September and a number of the scheme's rising stars - such as Bunmi, Tonderai and Rhys - are already making significant progress.

Gary Anderson, director of Performance at Oaklands Athletics Academy, said: "I am delighted with how the team fared at the SESSA championships.

"These athletes are just the tip of the ice berg in terms of the talented athletes who attend the Oaklands Academy.

"The excellent thing about the academy is that it provides a truly focussed environment for each of our students to develop both athletically and academically and we are seeing our team flourish.

"We have high hopes for each and every one of the individuals on the programme and look forward to watching them develop and succeed."

Oaklands' Athletics Academy is aimed at male and female athletes across the region between the ages of 16 - 19.

Through the academy students take on a combined programme of academic study, which leads to a BTEC National Diploma in Sports, as well as receiving top level coaching in their athletic discipline.

Students devote a number of hours a week to study at Oaklands' Smallford Campus in St Albans, learning about nutrition, lifestyle, ethics in sport, psychology and working with children.

The rest of their time is spent at local athletics tracks, refining and honing skills in their own particular discipline.