On Tuesday, 15th of November, Columba College had 20 students attend the Caledonian facility for the annual Otago Primary/Intermediate Athletics Championships.

It was a beautiful day down at the track. Columba College had plenty of success at this event with multiple students making finals. It is a very special achievement to make the top eight in any event as there were a number of heats before students qualified for the final.

Georgie Wellington and Gabrielle van Aart made the final of the U10 60m Sprint race finishing 5th and 6th respectively. 

Abrielle Nicol finished 4th in the U11 High Jump, clearing an amazing 1.15m height.

Madison Bryce and Holly Weatherall made the final of the U12 Hurdles race in graceful style. Holly crossed the line in 5th place and Madison claimed the silver medal in a thrilling 2nd place finish.  

Holly gained another two 5th places - in the High Jump with a score of 1.20m and Long Jump with a jump of 3.92m. Fellow teammate, Isabella van Art, finished in 4th place for the U12 Girls' Long Jump, scoring 3.95m. 

Olivia Brown claimed 4th place in her U13 Long Jump event with a total jump of 4.13m. 

Standout performances by Harlow La Hood and Isabella van Aart saw them win the 75m Sprint races in their respective age groups. Both students had phenomenal final runs to claim their gold medals, Isabella secured hers in a 3-way tie and a time of 11.65 seconds. Harlow was the outright winner in her event - straight from the gun, she took the lead and never looked back, finishing the race in a time of 11.50 seconds. 

Isabella van Aart proved that she has it all - on the sprint track, in the long jump pit, and in long-distance running, claiming 4th place in the Year 7/8 Girls' 800m event.  

Poppy Hussey finished 6th in a large field of runners for the 800m Girls' Race. Fellow Columba competitors, Abrielle Nicol and Matilda Brown, finished 9th and 11th respectively - a huge achievement for Year 5 students. 

Samuel Riley put on an absolute show in the final stages of the day. Holding off all opponents through the first 600m, he faced a tight tussle around the bends with his fellow 'lead' competitor before taking off down the final straight. Samuel gained a 40m lead and crossed the line to claim a convincing 1st place victory in the Year 5/6 Boys 800m Race.

Well done to everyone involved. A special thanks goes to our parent helpers for all their support on the day. Bring on 2023!