Which is faster: An athlete at the 100m sprint, or the cars on Windsor Rd last Thursday?  

Almost every student and staff member faced this reality last week, as drivers crept past the aftermath of a collision on the way to the 2023 Athletics Carnival. This proved to be a point of tension for many 1500m runners, with many barely making it in time for their race, and some missing it entirely.   

But moving past the trek to get into the Athletic Centre, it was a day of anticipation, excitement, and enthusiasm. The energy of the wonderful, yet somewhat biased, Mr Trenerry blasted through the speaker system, managing to be both loud and difficult to hear, but the message was clear: get keen… and go Warren house! While we cannot yet verify the success of the second statement, the first was most certainly true.   

Starting on the track, 100m was front and centre, as both the participation and competitive races ran simultaneously, allowing a large majority of the students to get involved from the get-go. It was admirable seeing so many of us get up and have a go, especially those who convinced themselves to get back out into the sweltering sunshine for the 200m races.  

 On the field, however, all events happened simultaneously, with age groups alternating through the events. While I am personally more of a track fan, I was equally impressed watching the high bar set by the competitors and the resilience of the teachers who were in the sun for many hours, running these events smoothly. For my only field event, long jump, the teachers were gracious enough to give me a second turn after I may or may not have missed the white line by a foot or two…  

As the day progressed, energy levels were challenged by the rising heat of midday. The 800m especially was a large mental challenge to even get to the starting line, but I must say that it was a rewarding experience to complete the last event that I signed up for.   

Excitement built as we entered the final stage of the day – the house races. The 4x100m relays proved to be a captivating spectator event. House strategies varied, as some opted for their fastest runners on the curves, while others put them on the final sprint. Congratulations to every runner who got out for this final sprint, as well as the 16 “champions of champions” who ran at the end of the challenging day.  

 To sum up the day, the Year 12 cohort provided great amusement to the college, as they ran their last 100m at a carnival. My personal favourite had to be the matching ‘Teletubbies’ costumes.  

 Overall, the Athletics Carnival was a great success this year. I hope that your calves survived the day and good luck in training for the Cross Country!