Welwyn Hatfield girls' football team at the Herts Youth Games 2010

THOUSANDS of sports mad youngsters from across the county competed in the Herts Youth Games in Hatfield on Saturday.

Welwyn Hatfield and Hertsmere both had teams in the event staged for the sixth year in a row at the University of Hertfordshire’s Sports Village.

Hertsmere, who had more than 100 children competing for them, finished as overall runners-up to winners East Herts, with Welwyn Hatfield ninth.

The second placed squad, who played in sapphire blue t-shirts, delivered outstanding performances, winning the boccia, football and table tennis.

Helen Bottomley, sports development officer for Hertsmere Borough Council said: “These Games featured young people, many of whom were previously only partially engaged with sport and physical activity programmes.

“To represent their district in a competitive environment is something that we hope will inspire thing to a lifetime sporting involvement.

“As you walked around the site, it was brilliant to see a sea of smiling faces.”

More than 95 talented pupils from Welwyn Hatfield showed off their sporting skills.

They joined over 2,000 school age children from across the county to compete in 10 different sports, including: aquathlon (swimming/running), athletics, badminton, basketball, boccia (bowls), cricket, football, netball, table tennis and rugby.

Welwyn Hatfield, who played in black, put on an impressive performance, as winners of the under-13 aquathlon, and runners-up in the athletics.

They were cheered on by Mayor Cllr Howard Morgan and Hatfield Town Council Mayor Cllr Linda Clark and other dignitaries.

Cllr Morgan, said: “It was a wonderful day - the sun shone and our budding young athletes approached their sports with great enthusiasm and spirit - you couldn’t fail to be impressed.

“It’s good to hear that our teams in the cricket and football, who had not played together competitively before the Games, enjoyed the experience so much they will be continuing to play together in the future.

“It was also lovely to see our Welwyn Hatfield based Pop Luck and Music Mix competition winners from last year and this year - Conor Walker, Joe Novelli, Emma Cook and Andy Russell, performing during the day.”