Slide show of Sports Day

(Any of the photos in the slideshow can be viewed and purchased at www.photoboxgallery.com/colstons )

This year’s sports day was blessed with perfect weather. As the school congregated in their houses on the bottom fields everyone seemed to be in the mood for cheering on athletes or taking part. The buzz lasted throughout the afternoon, through defeats, wins and the nail biting house points competition.

An ever competitive Mrs Currie had everything crossed, desperate to regain the title after last year's defeat by Roundway. Mr Yaxley (Head of Roundway) seemed totally relaxed, unaware of the hype, walking around to support his house’s athletes. I asked him how confident he was feeling and how he thought his house was doing, he replied ‘well we are going to win like last year… our juniors are fantastic… they are all winners’ the latter being a very accurate statement.

This year has seen a lot of promising young athletes in particular Sam Ford, Dave Pitt (who broke the 100m record setting the new one at 11.47 seconds, despite complaining that he didn’t realise the actual finish line was the faint line 5 metres after the bold line marked ‘FINISH’ in red letters… showing that pre-race preparation is vital). The senior boy’s shot put this year thrashed records set last year by James Philips at 12 metres. Emyr Watson came in third place with 12.28 metres, Jonathon Creswell second with 12.85 metres and Liam Herbert threw a whopping 12.92 metres landing him first place. Finally Ding Yang beat the intermediate boy’s long jump record of 5.83 setting the new one at 5.92.

Record breaker David Pitt being interviewed by our reporter Emma Carpenter

I also want to say a huge well done to those pupils who took part in events that weren’t their forte. Every year I used to dread, which I expect most people would, being called up to run the 1500m half way through the afternoon, which I would end up finish by the end of the afternoon. And an even bigger pat on the back for those who took part but didn’t win. In this case it doesn’t matter; taking part gave House’s points making every athlete count. Also thank you to all pupils who helped with the running of the day from jotting down times to delivering score sheets to the pavilion, it made the afternoon run smoothly and without hitch.

It has to be said that this year's sports day, although very successful and great fun, was lacking whit and (bad) jokes- usually given to us by Mr Drew’s commentating but a congratulations has to be given to Mr Thornley for filling big shoes.

2006’s sports day ended at 3.48pm on the dot, two minutes early as was pointed out- probably the first time it had finished early in years. And inevitably my house, Kings, lost and Roundway clinched the title for the second year running (we are still in the lead for the house cup I might add). An elated Roundway house cheered with joy over the 39 point lead from second place Aldington. And boot faced Dolphin’s were just pleased to have beaten old enemies, King's. The day ended with Mr Thornley’s praise that ‘this year was the best year yet’- he probably says it every year.

Emma Carpenter

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