Track and Field Summary 2018
Track and Field Summary 2018
It has been a big couple of weeks for the St Catherine’s Track and Field Team as they have competed within the pointy end of the GSV competition season.
Major competitions kicked off with the GSV Division 1 Track and Field Championships. This was St Catherine’s fourth consecutive year in the Premier Division, highlighting the consistent hard work and effort of the entire team to give it their all for their School. The day produced a fierce competition between all schools, with only a slim margin separating all at the end of the day. St Catherine’s finished 7th overall out of 24 schools. This was an outstanding result and all girls should be commended for their selfless efforts in giving it their all for the team performance.
The GSV Finals Evening is the pivotal individual athletics competition within the GSV season. It brings together the top Years 8 to 12 athletes in each event across the three divisions. Under lights at Lakeside Stadium, this event always brings out the best in the competitors. Based on the results of the Championships, St Catherine’s girls qualified one of their biggest teams to date, qualifying into 46 individual events and six relays. This resulted in lots of personal bests and a medal tally of two gold, three silver and five bronze medals. Some notable outstanding performances included:
Throws Team
Our Throws team put on an outstanding performance at GSV Finals Evening. Olivia Nigido-Scott (Year 8) broke the 14-year-old GSV record to win the Shot Put with a throw of 11.67 metres. Olivia backed this up with a win in the Discus. Our Javelin throwers, Millie Fraser-Smith (Year 10) and Hope Kudelka (Year 11), pushed the limits both finishing 2nd overall in their respective age groups. Both achieved new personal bests of over thirty-one metres. Big throws also came from Tamsin Sleigh (Year 9), Sophia Rothfield (Year 11), Jemima Wilcox (Year 7), Harriet Fortey (Year 10) and Milla Naylor (Year 7) who represented their School with pride.
Jumps Team
Our Jumps Team soared to new heights with Celia Cody (Year 11) and Emily Sutherland (Year 11) both setting the bar high in the High Jump. Both recorded jumps of 1.53 metres. This competition was decided on countback with Celia being award 3rd place and Emily 4th. Georgina Vote (Year 9) also performed well in the High Jump, clearing 1.40 metres and finishing 3rd on the podium. A big congratulations must go to Emma Froomes (Year 8), who cleared a personal best jump of 1.40 metres at Championship to qualify for her first Finals Evening. In the pit, Year 7 students Audrey Kyriakou and Lucia Tabbagh got a taste of Finals Evening action in the Long Jump and Triple Jump respectively. Harriette Dryden (Year 11), Harriet Fortey, Bridget Vogel-Paul (Year 9) and Chloe Joubert (Year 9) also recorded big jumps across the night.
Middle Distance Team
Our Middle Distance Team were fierce across the season. On Finals Evening, it was Chloe Joubert who surprised the pack. Being a late call up, Chloe did not turn too many heads at the start line, however after a fierce second lap run, she put herself in the hunt and got the reward finishing 3rd overall in the race. Charlotte Gough (Year 10) was the Team’s biggest improver in 2018. Charlotte ran personal bests in both the 800 metres and 400 metres across the season and reaped the rewards of her efforts qualifying for Finals Evening in the 400 metres. Matisse Stafford (Year 7), Emily Sutherland (Year 11), Sarah Wilson (Year 12), Emmelia Nichols (Year 12) and Team Captain Isabelle Dann (Year 12) all qualified for Finals Evening. This team were expertly coached by mother and son duo Susan Hobson and Riley Shaw.
Sprints and Hurdles Team
Our sprinters and hurdlers were fast out of the blocks. Training partners Juliet Grant (Year 12) and Annelise Cody (Year 11) left nothing on the track in their fighting 400 metre performances. Both girls finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. The Ferrali sisters, Elodie (Year 9) and Stephanie (Year 12), battled it out in the short sprint and hurdles distances. While Celia Cody and Harriet Forty showed their versatility across multi-event disciplines.
Relays
Off the back of some very good baton changes at Championships, St Catherine’s qualified in six of the eight relay events, an outstanding achievement. Our Year 11 Team of Harriette Dryden, Celia Cody, Emily Sutherland and Annelise Cody were our best performing team on the night, finishing a close 3rd overall. Our Year 7 Team of Audrey Kyriakou, Agnes Winzar-Sdraulig, Lucia Tabbagh and Lily Taylor proved they are a team to watch for the future, finishing 5th overall. The highlight of the night is always the last event of the program, the Open 4×400 metres. The St Catherine’s Team of Elodie Ferrali, Annelise Cody, Emily Sutherland and Juliet Grant ran a great race finishing in 5th position.
Thank you
On behalf of the Athletics Team, I would like to make special thank you to our Year 12 Team members, Isabelle Dann (Co-Captain), Camilla Broome (Co-Captain), Eleanor Millear, Jasmine Pearce Higgins, Juliet Grant, Stephanie Ferrali, Sarah Wilson and Emmelia Nichols who have made an outstanding contribution to the ‘running culture’ of St Catherine’s. These students have displayed strong leadership and leave an outstanding legacy for students to come.
As always, behind such strong performances are a very talented and capable team of coaches and support staff. I would like to thank our coaching team; Susan Hobson, Harry Roubin, Ange Phillips, Lee Naylor, Tom O’Connor, Reilly Shaw, Lizzie Hedding, Georgia Deacon and Anula Costa for the hard work they have put in towards guiding the girls to achieve their best.
Finally, I would also like to thank all the parents who have supported the Team at the various competitions throughout the season. You are very much a part of the Team as well.
We look forward to next year’s athletics season.
