Simon Bull completed a remarkable record of six wins in seven years at the recent The Capitol Shopping Centre Cardiff & Vale Schools' combined events championships, held at Leckwith.

The Barry Road resident first took part in these fixtures as a year 8 pupil at Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf in 1996.

He finished twelfth out of 29 athletes in the U-15 competition with a score of 1461 points. The following year, still in the U-15 section, he claimed his first title with a new championship best of 2358.

In 1998 and 1999, he won the U-17 title setting a new points best of 2573 in the second year, his last at Glantaf.

He moved to Coleg Glan Hafren for the 2000 championships, winning the senior title for the first time with a new best of 2832 for a championship especially tailored to the first day of a decathlon - 100 metres, long jump, shot, high jump and 400 metres - to fit the Welsh Schools' programme for that year.

For the 2001 fixture, he moved to Barry College. The events in the senior pentathlon reverted to the previous format - the more demanding 110m hurdles, long jump. shot, javelin and 1500 metres - and Simon successfully defended the title with a new best (for those events) of 2719.

This summer's championship was his final outing and he finished with a second successful defence. His score of 2606 was good enough to see off the challenge of younger brother Gareth but was just over 100 points short of his 2001 best.

That achievement of six victories in seven combined events starts, with five new championship bests, is unlikely to be equalled for many years. Well done, Simon - but don't rest on your laurels now.

Two other Vale athletes claimed titles at these championships.

Cowbridge year 11 pupil Matthew Jones completed a remarkable week with a second victory.

At the middle championships, he had won the 400 metres hurdles - and set the quickest time over 100 metres hurdles.

In the combined events' competition, the experience of taking part in the SIAB indoor pentathlon in Glasgow stood him in good stead as he improved by over 350 points on his 2001 performance to take the U-17 title.

The third Vale victory went to Kerry Jones of Llantwit, who was the only athlete in the U-15 girls' competition to score more than 2000 points.

Three Vale athletes finished second - Gareth Bull (Glantaf), Bethan Price (Cowbridge) and Alyshia Butcher (Llantwit) - while the Cowbridge duo of Elouise Smith and Ben Wright finished third.

The leading athletes from this fixture will be selected to represent Cardiff & the Vale district at the Welsh Schools' combined events championships, which will be staged, together with the walks championships, at Newport Stadium on Saturday, June 29.