Athletics

This term has seen success and enjoyment across all the age groups in the athletics squad at St Paul’s. The season kicked off with an athletics training camp held at school during the Easter holidays. This consisted of four days of hard work, with each athlete developing the skills necessary to excel in their respective events. The camp was a great way of getting rid of the rust built up from the long off season and was also the perfect opportunity to meet the new junior athletes and welcome them into the squad.

Having recovered from the pre-season camp, the squad took part in the athletics trials at Eton school. This is an annual event in which Eton invites St Paul’s to simultaneously use their track with them to gain some competition experience, and also get some official timings/ distances measured. It was a great chance to work out which athletes would compete in which events for the season and it also improved the confidence of junior athletes, seeing as for some of them this was the first time they had ever competed.

The first official event of the season was held at Tonbridge School. Despite the fact that we had no Sixth form due to GCSEs and only one Upper Eighth due to A-Levels, St Paul’s still ranked a respectable 4th over all the age groups at the end of the event. Credit goes to the numerous Fifth formers and Lower Eighth students who competed in many different events against competitors in the year above them. A special mention goes to Louis Nuthall, Jaydon Ekpo and Alex Pama for winning in their respective events.

The next event was the Guy Butler Shield at Harrow school. This is one of the biggest athletics meets of the season. Luckily the squad was able to salvage some extra help from the Upper Eighth, despite the fact that they had A-Levels during this time. This helped the seniors to finish 4th by the end of the competition. I would like to especially congratulate Max Bishop, not only for stepping up and competing for the seniors (two years above his age) but also for winning his 800m in an outstanding time of 1:57:40. I would also like to say well done to Tom Street for winning his 400m in another impressive time of 52.00s, a great achievement.

My final athletics meet of the season was the Lord Burghley at Eton school. This was the most successful meet of the season as St Paul’s came 3rd overall, despite only having three athletes from the Sixth and Upper Eighth forms. Another huge congratulations goes to Jaydon Ekpo for his outstanding win in the 200m with a time of 23.35s, and to Alex Pama for winning the shot put competition with a distance of 12.65m. Tom Street also set a new PB of 50.92s in the 400m, coming in a very close second place. A special mention goes to Louis Nuthall, Eli Darko, Manny Dell and Luke Jeffries for winning their respective events too.

A special mention for Alex Pama (Lower Eighth) who won the Marler Trophy for the Best Performance of the Season for breaking the school Shot Put record with an astonishing throw of 14.01 metres at the Marlborough College Athletics Meeting.I would also like to mention Ka Lum Chew who ran every athletics meeting for the Senior team in the 100m and 200m despite only being in year 10.

Ka Lum put in some very impressive times and he is definitely one to look out for in the next few years.

The last five years of athletics at St Paul’s has been a great experience for me and I have enjoyed each and every season. Unfortunately, COVID disrupted the 2020 season, meaning I couldn’t compete as a Sixth former. However, my season as a lower Eighth student was a great bounce back into athletics from a long time off and was a great transition into my final year at the school. Highlights of the last five years include watching David Nartey setting a new SPS record at 1.98m in high jump, setting a new school record in the four by 200m relay with James Grindle, Greg Zoppos and Tom White, and watching Harry Grindle set the 100m school record of 10.7s.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the staff that have given up their time to help out with the athletes this season: Mr Maguire, Mr. Blurton, Mr. Quinn, Mr. Blake, Mr. Harrison, Dr. Bennett, Mr Strang and Dr Hemery. It’s been a great five years and I look forward to hearing about the continued progress for the SPS athletics squad in the future. ❚ Yonni Kobrin SPS Captain of Athletics

Achilles Relays 2022

SPS Year 10 boys had a successful day at this year’s Achilles Relays held at the Roger Bannister Stadium in Oxford.

First up was the Sandy Duncan Trophy. Our 4 x 100m U17 team was made up of Ka Lum Chew, Manny Dell, Jadon Ekpo and Alex Toledano. After a below par heat where the boys finished 3rd, they took themselves off for some relay baton training and returned, feeling more confident and motivated to finish 2nd in the final losing out to Milfield, and running an impressive 46.4s

Next up was the Bevill Rudd Trophy. Our 4 x 200m U17 team consisted of Connel Nelson, Jadon Ekpo, Timothy Hinkis and Alex Toledano. With the smoothest of changeovers the boys finished 1st in a phenomenal 1.38.1s and in doing so, getting their revenge on Milfield who finished in 2nd place. Our final event of the day was the Under 17 4 x 400m, also known as the Christopher Brasher Trophy. Our team consisted of Cameron McConnon, Fraser White, Rory McConnon, Benjy Street and Connel Nelson. Each and every boy pushed themselves to their absolute limits, finishing a superb final in 2nd place in a time of 3:45s.

This really is an outstanding team achievement considering all the boys are a year young and will be able to compete in the same age group next year. All the boys involved made it a very proud day for the St Paul’s Athletics Club and are a credit to the school. ❚ Mr A. Maguire Head of Athletics