THE GREAT WHEELBARROW RACE

After a hiatus of two years due to COVID-19, the Great Wheelbarrow Race returned, to the excitement of eight young Nudgee College boarders who decided to take on the challenge.

This mammoth course takes race participants along a 140km route, aptly named ‘Wheelbarrow Way’, from Mareeba to Chillagoe in Far North Queensland.

Year 11 boarders Samson Naawi, Jack McBride, Alex Toua, Luke Power, Lawson Denniss, Angus Wishart and Ben Mills, and Year 12 boarder Cooper Luce, made up the Nudgee College team.

Jack said a highlight of the experience was forging close friendships with the boys and having a laugh, even when times were tough.

Cooper and Alex both expressed how proud they were of themselves and their team mates.

“The determination shown by the boys to push through and never quit was amazing,” Cooper said.

While it was an incredibly tough experience, Samson said he would recommend it to students in the future.

“It was great seeing new places, meeting new people and running beside the boys,” he said.

Boarding Recreation and Activities Coordinator Mr Vladimir Savovski said all that were involved banded together to make the race a unique experience.

“Considering they were a team of eight when every other team had 10 runners, they put in a monstrous effort,” he said.

“The boys also created a remarkable bond of friendship that will be remembered for years to come.”

After the gruelling three-day race, the boys finished second in the Schools division and fourth overall. They also raised more than $5,000 for Little Windmills, an organisation which provides financial support to families with seriously sick or injured children who are from regional, remote and rural Australia. The Boarding Support Group extended their efforts, raising a further $3,500 for Little Windmills, through their Boarders’ Barrow Raffle.

WRITTEN BY EDITOR MS TIFFANY KELLER