Ben Elephant, the furry mascot of the RAF Benevolent Fund, was on hand to congratulate (left) Cadet Company Sergeant Major Alexander Lane (17) from Ballygowan on winning Gold in the Over 17 Men’s 100 and 200 Metres races and Cadet Lance Corporal Lee Umphray (16) who won Silver in the Under 17 Men’s 400 and 800 Metres races.

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, energetic teenagers from Ards, Ballygowan and Comber were amongst the medal winners in a fun-filled day which combined family activities and attractions with competition in ten different athletics disciplines.

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!”