Mark Lintott, a Y10 pupil at Bolton School Boys’ Division who first tested his athletics skills at Park Road, the Junior Boys’ School, is now competing on the regional and national stage.
Looking back, Mark’s mum, Catherine Lintott, said: ‘It was during his time at Park Road that it became clear that Mark possibly had a talent for athletics. Specifically at their annual Sports Day, he won the 75m and 150m races and went on to be awarded the school’s Athletics Cup. Up until that point, his dad and I did not know how good he was. He still uses the high-jump technique taught to him by Mr Duxbury to this day!’
Shortly after this, Mr Pledger, a former Head of PE in the Boys’ Division, suggested Mark join Bolton Harriers, which he did. Covid then disrupted Mark’s development, but he trained throughout with his coach, Les Hall, via Zoom and was grateful that athletics was one of the first sports to open up again after the pandemic.
Last year was Mark’s first proper year of competing in races. He represented Bolton in the 100m Greater Manchester County Schools Athletics Championships in the U15s’ competition. His winning performance there enabled him to then qualify for English Schools’ Athletics Championship where he represented Greater Manchester.
From January of this year, Mark moved into the U17s’ age group, and even though he was only 14 at the time and competing against boys who were sometimes two years older than him, he ran qualifying times in the 60m which enabled him to reach the semi-final of the Northern Championships and to take part in the National Indoor Championships at Sheffield.
More recently, Mark has returned to 100m and 200m races and has just taken part in the Greater Manchester County Championships, where he won a silver in the 200m and placed fifth in the 100m. He is also hopes to compete in the Northern Championships in August.
Mark trains with Les Hall at Bolton Harriers and is usually on the track three times a week, whatever the weather. He continues to gain invaluable experience and to work on building his strength and achieving personal bests ahead of hopefully competing at the top level next year when he is a year older.
