Woodbridge Boys and Girls Win A-Grade Schools’ Athletics Competitions
The boys came a glorious first, well ahead of Kesgrave, RHS, Ipswich, Northgate, East Bergholt, Copleston, Farlingaye and St Joseph’s, and the girls a fine fourth, to qualify for the next round of the Schools’ athletics competition.
With nine schools taking part in the Year 8 A-grade event, each race had two heats, and so the evening couldn’t have started better when Tom Turner and Mauricio Corfe won the A and B hurdles races in 12.28 and 12.79 respectively. John Hendry followed up with a personal best of 24.62 in the 200m with Mak Zie winning the B string with 27.16. George Wharam made the 800m race look like a sprint, clear in front, with Charlie Turner finishing second (and therefore also first in the B string). Both relay teams won convincingly too: Mak, Ruben Kill, John and Mauricio, and the other team of George, Tom, Charlie, and a fast leg by new comer Tom Yarrow. The field events were just as extraordinary: John second in long jump and Tom first for the B string; Mauricio first in triple jump; new recruit Taye Sutton second in discus with over 21m and Jack Ward close on his heels with 20.40m. All looks set fair for the Regional finals in June.
Meanwhile, wIth some of the squad involved in a tennis fixture, the girls fielded some new recruits alongside seasoned campaigners. Ella Walker came first in her 200m heat; Molly Marshall came second with 4.20m in long jump just 1cm behind the winner; Rebecca Yardy also finished second, in long jump B string; Lakisha Charema came third in the A discus and Jess Elmer was first in the B string. Olivia Buchanan was first in Javelin and Emily Whyte first in the B string (and third overall). In the final reckoning the girls came a very respectable fourth, enjoying the chance to hone their competitive instincts in time for the Regional finals.
The next day was the turn of the Year 9s: victory for the girls and second place for the boys, with both qualifying for the Regional round.
With nine schools taking part in the Year 9A event, competition was tough across the two-heats-per-event format. Sophie Graham started the evening winning her heat in hurdles (second overall) and also winning the javelin with a throw of 37.6m. Flora Pitt was second in the 200m A race and Laura Golding first in the B race. Both Ianthe Hill and Vicky Burrows were second in their 300m A and B races respectively. Nell Pilkington came first in shot, Annie Yates and Saffron Holliday both first in discus in A and B string. Flora Pitt was second in Long Jump with Ianthe Hill jumping well too. The High jump was won by Vicky Burrows…. I’m exhausted just writing it! All in all no wonder the girls triumphed ahead of Northgate, RHS, Ipswich High, Farlingaye, Ipswich, kesgrave, Hadleigh and Holbrook. The Year 9s will be joined by the best of our Year 10s at Watford on Friday 9 June for the Regional Finals of the girls’ Inter team event, looking to repeat their victory in an equivalent event earlier in the season.
Meanwhile the boys also excelled, coming second from seven schools. Leading the way was Hugo Thomas, second in high jump; Hal Ottley, third in triple jump with Charlie Eaton second in the B string; Nathaniel Gunn third in discus and Anthony Doggett winning the B string; Daniel Norman third in javelin and Sam Betteridge first in the B string; and Josh Ralph third in the shot. Well done to all!
And it doesn’t end there…
For the third consecutive afternoon our athletes went to Northgate to compete. This time it was the turn of the Year 7 boys and girls, with the girls prevailing to qualify for the next round to be held on 13th June back at Northgate. Highlight performances: Anna Jackson was second in the B string 100m; Ella Pitt won her heat and was placed third overall in the 200m A race, and also won the long jump; Lucy Clare won the 300m A; Olivia Lubbock won her heat in the 75m and finished second overall; Olivia Brown second in the B string discus; and Tess Walker third in the A javelin event. In the 800m the girls were clear of the field with Bea Thomas winning with 2.34 and Amy Goddard close on her heels with 2.38 to finish second, and therefore first in the B string. With nine schools taking part competition was intense with the girls finishing tied for third just three points from first and over forty ahead of the rest of the field… Here’s to a reversal in the top of the order come the next round! For the boys the outstanding performances came from Tom Martin who won both the Javelin with 27.53m and the 300m A race, James Holliday who won the high jump with 1.35m and the 300m B race, and Henry Dinwiddy who won the discus with 21.98m and came third in the 800m A race. Woodbridge finished sixth, but only about ten points from qualifying – a worthy effort on a very busy day.
The next day was the turn of the Year 9s: victory for the girls and second place for the boys, with both qualifying for the Regional round.
With nine schools taking part in the Year 9A event, competition was tough across the two-heats-per-event format. Sophie Graham started the evening winning her heat in hurdles (second overall) and also winning the javelin with a throw of 37.6m. Flora Pitt was second in the 200m A race and Laura Golding first in the B race. Both Ianthe Hill and Vicky Burrows were second in their 300m A and B races respectively. Nell Pilkington came first in shot, Annie Yates and Saffron Holliday both first in discus in A and B string. Flora Pitt was second in Long Jump with Ianthe Hill jumping well too. The High jump was won by Vicky Burrows…. I’m exhausted just writing it! All in all no wonder the girls triumphed ahead of Northgate, RHS, Ipswich High, Farlingaye, Ipswich, kesgrave, Hadleigh and Holbrook. The Year 9s will be joined by the best of our Year 10s at Watford on Friday 9 June for the Regional Finals of the girls’ Inter team event, looking to repeat their victory in an equivalent event earlier in the season.
Meanwhile the boys also excelled, coming second from seven schools. Leading the way was Hugo Thomas, second in high jump; Hal Ottley, third in triple jump with Charlie Eaton second in the B string; Nathaniel Gunn third in discus and Anthony Doggett winning the B string; Daniel Norman third in javelin and Sam Betteridge first in the B string; and Josh Ralph third in the shot. Well done to all!
And it doesn’t end there…
For the third consecutive afternoon our athletes went to Northgate to compete. This time it was the turn of the Year 7 boys and girls, with the girls prevailing to qualify for the next round to be held on 13th June back at Northgate. Highlight performances: Anna Jackson was second in the B string 100m; Ella Pitt won her heat and was placed third overall in the 200m A race, and also won the long jump; Lucy Clare won the 300m A; Olivia Lubbock won her heat in the 75m and finished second overall; Olivia Brown second in the B string discus; and Tess Walker third in the A javelin event. In the 800m the girls were clear of the field with Bea Thomas winning with 2.34 and Amy Goddard close on her heels with 2.38 to finish second, and therefore first in the B string. With nine schools taking part competition was intense with the girls finishing tied for third just three points from first and over forty ahead of the rest of the field… Here’s to a reversal in the top of the order come the next round! For the boys the outstanding performances came from James Martin who won both the Javelin with 27.53m and the 300m A race, James Holliday who won the high jump with 1.35m and the 300m B race, and Henry Dinwiddy who won the discus with 21.98m and came third in the 800m A race. Woodbridge finished sixth, but only about ten points from qualifying – a worthy effort on a very busy day.
