National Schools Challenge: Three NSW Schools win titles

12 December 2022

National Schools Challenge: Three NSW Schools win titles

NSW Schools were very strong at the 2022 Australian Schools Challenge which resumed after a two year break due to the Pandemic. Three NSW schools won titles – Pymble Ladies College the senior women’s, Trinity Grammar the senior men and Stella Maris Manly the junior girls.

U19/Senior Male

A reasonability comfortable win for Trinity with dominating performances in the long Jump (Will Moir 6.67m), Finn Ramanauskas (high jump 1.95m) and Ben Stevens (shot 18.69m). They also won the 100m, relay and went 1-2 in the 1500m.

1.Trinity Grammar NSW 152p, 2.Frankstown VIC 140.5p, 3.Nudgee QLD 124p, 4.Trinity Grammar B NSW 105.5p

U19/Senior Women

Pymble won five events, Meriden three and St Aidan’s one, as Pymble defended the title they won in 2019. Pymble’s winners included Gabby Taylor (100m), Olivia Inkster (200m), Sienna Bond (LJ), Brianna Worsfold (Shot) and Rehedyn Wong (Javelin). For Meriden Ellen Murphy (400m) and Ada Rand (1500m) were winners.

Performances of note were Olivia’s 200m 24.68 and Sienna long jump of 5.82m.

1.Pymble Ladies College NSW 190.5p, 2.St Aidan’s QLD 177, 3. Meriden NSW 159p

U17/Intermediate Male

Going into the last event Marist College Ashgrove led Sydney’s Knox Grammar and despite Knox winning the last event, the relay, it was insufficient to win the title. Knox were served well by the sprinters Dylan Hall (100m and 200m wins) and Lachlan Herbert (400m win). They also won the high jump and Dylan Hall impressed with a 6.89m long jump win. Including the relay, Dylan Hall competed in four events for four wins.

1.Marist College Ashgrove QLD 161p, 2.Knox NSW 157p, 3.Wesley VIC 143p, 4.Trinity Grammar NSW 138p, 8.St Ignatius NSW 63p

U17/Intermediate Female

One critical performance won this for St Peters. World U20 Championships high jump finalist, Toby Stolberg, battled an injury sustained in the warmup for the Australian All Schools two days earlier. She was able to compete and took just enough jumps (two) to win and earn critical points for her school - St Peters.

Overall St Peters were strong in the field, while Pymble’s strength was the track. Samara Bond claimed a critical win in the 200m (25.45) and Sarah Baker was gutsy in the 800m with a close second in 2:14.45. She was also second in the 400m and helped the relay to a win.

1.St Peters Lutheran QLD 189p, Pymble Ladies College NSW 187p, 3.Moreton Bay College QLD 162.5, 6. Pymble ladies B NSW 127, 7.Meriden NSW 116p

U15/Junior Male

Queensland’s Nudge College were too strong for Sydney’s Trinity Grammar in the U15 boys competition on the back of gun sprinter Ethan Grimshaw who clocked outstanding times of 11.15/22.78 then anchored the 4x200m relay.

Trinity Grammar School won the throwing events, through Jozef Cluff (shot) and Will Jenkins (javelin). Jozef, who won two titles at the All Schools, won the shot by well over 2 metres.

1.Nudge QLD 99p, 2.Trinity Grammar NSW 83p, 3.Melb Grammar VIC 82p….5.Trinity Grammar NSW 59p

U15/Junior Female

This age division was dominated by NSW with three teams in the top-4 and just seven points separating them.

Going into the last event, the 4x200m relay, Stella Maris led from Presbyterian Ladies College (Sydney) and St Aibans. Stella Maris placed third in the relay which was sufficient to win the competition. Winners of the relay, Meriden moved into fourth, missing the podium by just one point.

Meriden were strong in the field events, winning the long jump (Rekha Levine 5.18m) and javelin (Caitlin Yeoh 33.10m). Presbyterian Ladies College received great contributions from middle distance athletes Milly Gage (2:19.50) and Keira Toohey (2:19.55). The key to Stella Maris’ win was consistency. Their leading athlete was second to fifth in every event.

1.Stella Maris NSW 97p, St Aibans QLD 92p, 3.Presbyterian Ladies College NSW 91p, 4.Meriden NSW 90p,

Most years, the winners of the divisions earned the opportunity to represent Australia at the World Schools Games. In 2023 schools may enter if they wish.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Stella Maris – winners of the junior girls division (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)