BLACKBURN Arena have the British National Championships to thank for their bulging trophy cabinet. Every Blackburn student entered in the Championship came away with medals - including two golds.

The four day event saw seven Blackburn skaters win some of the country's top honours.

The Junior Ice Dance contest saw the Arena bag a double header - Pamela and Jonathan O'Dougherty won gold and Amanda Galloway and Christopher Lomax scooped silver medals.

Fourteen-year-old Alan Street won gold in the Junior Men's Free contest, and Senior Ice Dancers Lisa and John Dunn completed the trio of honours with bronze awards.

"The rink was very well represented - to come away with bronze, silver and two gold medals is fantastic. All our skaters did very well - they all skated their best," says ex-British champion Karen Barber, one of the country's top coaches at the Arena.

But the celebrations won't last - Pamela, Jonathan and Alan are already back in competition - at the Junior World Championships in Korea.

"They've got a week to settle in and then the competition proper starts," says Karen.

"They'll be competing with around 30 others, and at their age even to come in the top 15 will be a major achievement."

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