Learners from Landmarks Specialist College travelled to Portland College in Mansfield to take part in this year’s Portland Games.
Each year, specialist colleges from across South Yorkshire and the Midlands come together to compete in a range of inclusive sporting activities, including Football, Badminton, Netball, and Boccia.
In football, the Landmarks team enjoyed an impressive run to the semi-finals, remaining unbeaten throughout the qualifying stages against teams from Yorkshire, Derby, and Lincoln.
Landmarks began the tournament with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over the Derby side, before producing one of the standout performances of the day with a dominant 3–0 win against Highfield College.
Their final qualifying match proved to be the most intense of the group stage, ending in a closely contested 1–1 draw against Yorkshire rose and securing Landmarks a place in the semi-finals.
Facing hosts Portland College in the knockout round, Landmarks took an early lead and looked in control for much of the match. However, Portland equalised just before half-time with a long-range effort from the halfway line before scoring a dramatic late winner to edge the game 2–1.
Despite the narrow defeat, Landmarks finished an impressive third overall following an outstanding day of football.
A standout moment of the day came in the Boccia tournament, where the Landmarks team secured the gold medal following a series of outstanding performances.
The day concluded with a special awards ceremony hosted by Mark Briggs, former Paralympic Ice Hockey captain and Vice Chair of Portland’s Board of Governors, who presented trophies and medals to the winning teams.
Learner Shez was also recognised as the tournament’s star player, taking home this year’s individual trophy after an exceptional performance throughout the competition.
