Over 6,500 youngsters aged between 13-15, representing 52 teams from across the country, are competing during the BAA Millennium Youth Games in Southampton.

Agony turned to ecstasy for Southampton's Emma Kesby .The 13-year-old Redbridge schoolgirl was forced to limp out of the Hampshire Youth Games back in June after she injured her ankle competing in the hurdles.

But those tears of pain turned to tears of joy yesterday when she won the discus event for the Southampton team with an impressive throw of 21.8 metres to more than compensate for that disappointment at Aldershot.

There was further opening day success for Southampton's schoolgirls, with Laura Tanner from Regents Park romping home in the 800m and St Annes' pupil Rachel Bennett doing likewise in the 100m.

Young Matthew Monk stole the show in the boys' event with two personal best performances in the shot putt and high jump - not bad for someone who only stepped in as a last-minute reserve!

The merry Monk celebrated with a 8.50m shot putt before scaling 1.35m in the high jump and then revealed that he is due to have football trials with the Saints Academy Under-14 side at Oxford next Wednesday.

Just for good measure, Monk has also had trials with Hampshire County Cricket Club and is Southampton's junior javelin champion - as well as playing schools' basketball.

"If I had to choose one sport and one sport only it would definitely be football," smiled the Saints fan who already boasts a cabinet full of silverware from playing for Southampton Tyro League side Brendon.

Bellemoor boy Adrian Chalk shaved an incredible 1.5 seconds off his personal best as he won the 800m by a country mile and Samuel Bocock also notched a pb in the shot putt.

A top-three finish for the year 9/10 netball team sees them safely through into the top group for today's matches but there was some disappointment for Southampton.

After winning the Hampshire Youth Games earlier in the summer, the girls football team suffered a bout of stage fright and inexplicably suffered four straight defeats.

Team manager Chris Benning singled out the girls' tag rugby team for special mention which typifies the spirit and fun of the Millennium Youth Games.

"They only lost their first match 5-4 and they are very much a novice team who have never won a game as they have only been together for five months," she said.

"Part of the problem is that there is no girls rugby played in the city. If they could only win a game it would change their perspective of themselves and inspire them further to keep playing, they are actually a good team."

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