Fitness-focused pupils at Longford School blew all the stereotypes about lazy teens out of the water this week as they were crowned the fittest school in the country.
The sports-savvy Feltham youngsters beat 1,700 other schools across the UK to grab the top prize in The Fitter Schools UK Challenge 2008, backed by former England footballer Ian Wright.
They recorded the highest level of overall fitness out of the million youngsters who took part, raising their average fitness by a staggering 12.8 per cent over 14 weeks, and scooping £22,500 of sports equipment for the school.
Longford's director of sport Chris McNab (pictured with Ian Wright) said he was delighted by the kid's achievement.
"When the students learned that they have won the overall prize they were not only extremely excited regarding the fitness equipment they were to receive but also extremely proud of what they were able to achieve as a student group through sport," he said.
He explained that the staff had entered the competition as part of their healthy schools programme, encouraging students to compete individually, as whole class groups and within school house system. Results were then displayed around the school and outstanding achievements and improvement were publicly rewarded.
The Fitter Schools Challenge is free to enter and gives schools the opportunity to win school PE equipment and training worth £50,000 donated by LifeFitness, Zig Zag and Tesco.
