Celebrations to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force landed at the Mary Peters Track recently as more than two hundred and fifty teenage Cadets from across Northern Ireland took part in a unique Athletics Competition.

Bathed in summer sunshine, Banbridge Academy student, 15-year-old Cadet Corporal Kelly Gley, an enthusiastic member of the school Army Cadet Force Detachment, was amongst the medal winners in a fun-filled day which combined family activities and attractions with competition in ten different athletics disciplines. Super-fit Kelly won Gold in the Under 15 Girls’ Long Jump and Silver in the Under 15 Girls’ 100 metres.

Wing Commander Tara Scott, Northern Ireland RAF Community Relations Officer, was delighted at the response.  She said, “The air cadets hold an athletics event each year at the Mary Peters Track but this year, in honour of the celebrations, we widened our horizons and invited all cadet organisations in Northern Ireland to share in the fun, creating a fantastic opportunity for us to tell the Cadet community about the RAF’s first one hundred years.  RAF 100 sets out to mark the centenary under the theme ‘Commemorate, Celebrate, Inspire’ and that’s just what we all did with our Cadet Athletics Competition!”