On Thursday 6 November, our Years 5 and 6 students took to the water at MSAC for the annual GSV Swimming and Diving Carnival. These carnivals provide a wonderful opportunity for students to participate in a fun, inclusive environment that encourages a ‘have-a-go’ approach, and our St Catherine’s girls certainly embraced that spirit. 

With buckets of enthusiasm and plenty of early-morning energy, the team boarded the bus at 7.15am, ready for an exciting day ahead. Upon arrival, the girls jumped straight into the pool for their warm-up with coach Sam, setting the tone for what would be a fantastic day of sport and school spirit. 

The carnival kicked off in style with Ellie Wang competing in the individual Open 100m Freestyle event. Ellie started the day with a bang, powering through to take out first place, an incredible way to open the competition. From there, our magnificent team continued to impress, delivering outstanding performances across all events. 

However, the true highlight of the day wasn’t just in the results, it was in the team spirit and camaraderie that shone through. Every St Catherine’s competitor was met with cheers and encouragement from their peers, no matter the event or year level. 

A special mention must go to Arabella Foote, who showed tremendous sportsmanship and courage by stepping up to fill in for the Butterfly leg of a medley relay (not everyone’s favourite stroke). Without hesitation, Arabella took on the challenge and produced a sensational swim, taking her team from 7th to 2nd place. Congratulations, Arabella, what a race! 

As the swimming carnival wrapped up, smiles beamed all around, especially from those who had just completed their very first swimming competition. The swimmers then returned to school with Ms Ainsworth, while our talented team of 12 divers began their warm-up for the diving competition. 

Our divers, led by coach Tam, demonstrated composure, courage, and skill after weeks of dedicated training. Both Millie Macrae and Elena Chen showed wonderful team spirit, waiting patiently all day and cheering on their teammates before taking their turn to compete. The performances were nothing short of impressive, with Elizabeth Switkowski and Alice Bingham both winning their respective divisions, and Millie finishing a brilliant third. 

A special highlight came in the novice section, where several girls competed in their very first diving event, a remarkable achievement given the courage it takes to perform those first dives. 

We are incredibly proud of all our students for their enthusiasm, teamwork, and representation of St Catherine’s values throughout the day. Congratulations to every swimmer and diver on an outstanding effort. What a wonderful day of sport, spirit, and celebration.