Junior School House Athletics Carnival

In what was an exciting and action-packed day for students and staff alike, the Junior School House Athletics Carnival took place on Monday 12 May at Duncan McKinnon Reserve. The sun was shining, and the energy was high as our girls eagerly arrived at the track, ready to compete and represent their Houses with pride.

It was fantastic to see such enthusiastic participation from students across all year levels, especially our younger athletes who embraced the opportunity to take part in a range of events. These early experiences in athletics are invaluable, helping to build confidence, teamwork, and a love for sport that will hopefully continue for years to come.

Throughout the day, students rotated through a series of field events including Triple Jump, Long Jump, Discus, Shot Put and High Jump. These events remained open all day to encourage maximum participation—reminding our girls that all they needed to do was give it a go!

The House Captains were outstanding in their leadership, ensuring their teams arrived at events on time and keeping the house spirit alive from start to finish. With track events running throughout the day, all students competed in the compulsory 100m sprint and their year-level relay, with optional events including the 200m, 800m and 60m hurdles.

One of the highlights of the carnival was the Junior Flyer race, which featured the fastest eight Year 3 students in a thrilling sprint to determine who would take the title. A big congratulations to Bianca F, who took out the race in impressive fashion. Another crowd favourite was the Blue Ribbon event—our premier sprint for Years 4 to 6. Congratulations to Lola P who flew down the track to take the win in a time of 14.90.

Junior Flyer Results

1^st – Bianca F

2^nd – Greta I

3^rd – Sasha H

4^th – Bella T

5^th – Tin C

6^th – Aviana D

7^th – Issy F

8^th – Aria N

Blue Ribbon Results

1^st – Lola P

2^nd – Missy B

3^rd – Iva V

4^th – Eloise F

5^th – Sienna Y

6^th – Arabella L

7^th – Foxx R

8^th – Pearl G

It was wonderful to have so many parents join us at the track, cheering from the sidelines and creating a fantastic atmosphere of encouragement and celebration. Your support means so much to the girls.

After a full day of competition, determination and house pride, the final results were announced:

1st – Beaulieu Blair
2nd – Davis
3rd – Holmes Kilbride
4th – Langley Templeton

Congratulations to all the girls for their efforts and enthusiasm. Whether it was sprinting down the track, giving a new field event a go, or cheering on their teammates, each student played an important part in the success of the day.

SSV State Swimming Championships

On Thursday 1 May, five talented Junior School students proudly represented St Catherine’s at the SSV State Swimming Championships – an outstanding achievement and testament to their hard work and dedication in the pool.

The competition, held at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, showcased the best swimmers from across Victoria. Among our standout competitors were Ellie W and Leticia C, who both qualified for individual events – an impressive feat in itself! Ellie competed in the 50m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly, while Leticia took to the water in the 50m Butterfly.

The day began with excitement and focus, as both girls warmed up with determination. Leticia was first to dive in, powering through the pool to secure an incredible 2^nd place in the 11 Year Old Girls’ 50m Butterfly. Not long after, Ellie stepped up to the blocks and delivered a sensational swim, claiming 1^st place in the 12/13 Year Old Girls’ 50m Butterfly – an amazing effort!

After a short break, Ellie returned to the pool for her second event – the 12/13 Year Old Girls’ 50m Freestyle. From the very first stroke, it was a tightly contested race. In a thrilling finish, Ellie touched the wall just 20 milliseconds behind the leader, securing a remarkable 2^nd place in one of the most competitive events of the day.

Our final event was the highly anticipated 12/13 Year Old Girls’ 4x50m Freestyle Relay – and what a race it was! The girls knew they needed to bring their best against strong competition from Tintern. With outstanding performances from each swimmer and a powerful final leg from Ellie W, the race came down to the wire. In an incredibly close finish, our team placed second behind Tintern. Unfortunately, after further consultation, the team was disqualified due to a technical infraction.

While this was a difficult way to finish the day, it provided a valuable learning opportunity and a reminder that sport is as much about resilience as it is about results. We are so proud of each and every girl for how they represented the School – with spirit, determination, and sportsmanship.

Congratulations to all involved on a phenomenal achievement at the state level!

SSV Armadale District Cross Country Carnival

After weeks of dedication and determination throughout Term 1 and into Term 2, our Cross Country team were more than ready to take on the SSV Armadale District Cross Country Carnival, held at Kooyong Park on Monday 5th May.

With butterflies in their stomachs and excitement in the air, our students demonstrated just how much this event meant to them. All we ever ask is that they give their very best effort—and they certainly delivered.

The day began with a group warm-up led by our Head of Athletics alongside our passionate Cross Country Captains, Ingrid T and Alexa W. Spirits were high as the 9/10-year-old race was first up. For many of these girls, it was their debut appearance at a District Cross Country event. Each student ran with determination, chasing down the competitor ahead with focus and grit. A standout performance saw three St Catherine’s runners—Charlotte G, Anja R and Mia Ch—finish in the top eight, a phenomenal achievement!

Next came the 11-year-old race. With a few students unwell on the day, our wonderful emergencies, Elva and Miranda, stepped up without hesitation—thank you for your enthusiasm and readiness! Our team showed great consistency, with almost all girls placing in the top half of the field. Special congratulations to Ingrid T and Kayley L who crossed the line in 5th and 7th place respectively.

The final event of the day saw our 12/13-year-old runners take to the course. Despite being a smaller team, they showed incredible camaraderie and resilience, with every athlete pushing themselves to finish strongly within the top half of competitors.

As the day wrapped up, we were thrilled to once again be awarded the Population Trophy, a testament to the strength and spirit of our small but mighty team. To top it off, St Catherine’s placed 3rd overall—a remarkable result and well-deserved recognition for our students’ efforts.

A huge congratulations to all who competed and represented St Catherine’s so proudly. We are delighted to share that five students have qualified for the next level and will go on to compete at the SSV Beachside Division Carnival. We wish them all the best in their continued Cross Country journey!