A huge congratulations to the Amesbury athletes who showcased their talent and skills at Nairnville Park last week.

Our Year 4 to 6 tamariki had a fantastic day at senior athletics with the sun shining all day. Over 150 kids took the short trip to Khandallah and, after a quick snack, the tamariki were excited to start the event rotations.

There was much anticipation for all the events but the high jump was definitely the crowd favourite this year! Every jumper was cheered by their fellow competitors as they finished their turn. Everyone had a go at different heights and there were some close battles for the Northern Zone spots. 

The two throwing events, quoits and vortex, were highly competitive too with no headwind to worry about. Tamariki jogged over to the other side of the park to compete in the long jump. After a bit of practice and tips, students increased their jump height and distance. The smiles on their faces as they landed in the soft sand said it all. 

In the build up to the track events, several students were talking about scores to be settled. We needed to call on the videographer more than once for photo finishes! There’s nothing like striving down the straight and dipping when going for the line, especially when your mate is neck and neck with you.

When the rotations finished, we were able to run 4 x 100m relay races for all year groups. It was the first time some students had run with and handed over batons, and they did it very well. Three 800m races finished our day's events. There were some tired legs coming around the final bend for the last time.

The tamariki gave each event their best and we loved that the sportsmanship on show in all events was exemplary. Photos from the day can be viewed here.

A massive thank you to our parent volunteers and teachers who ran the events and helped supervise the students. As always, we couldn’t not have held the event without you. It was a very quick turnaround for those who qualified for the next stage at Newtown Park. A report on their efforts and the results will follow.