Head's Newsletter 15 December 2017

CROSS COUNTRY NEWS

The final fixture of the season was at Hampton. The Seniors had two teams. The A team drafted in Eyoel Abebaw-Mesfin from Year 10 at the last minute and he frightened the life out of the national sixth form record-breaking champion on the first leg. Jamie Krammer and Kai Pischke, both new to the sixth form, competed too and we came 3 rd against national standard competition, a marvellous result. The B team finished 4 th , with great style shown by the majestic Mo Dembele and George Birch. The Junior B team were bolstered by the surprise appearance of Luis Bullinger from Year 9 and by key performances from Jonny Schafer Year 8 and Ogi Zelenovic Year 7. Coming 4 th in the whole junior event was a great performance. The Junior A team had a morale boosting opening blitz by Tom Armstrong followed by Year 7s’ Oscar Luck and Connor Foley. The last two were unfazed by opposition two years their senior and maintained the 10-20 metre lead that Tom had opened up. The format involved repeated legs and it fell to Tom to carry the baton last on his 6 th carry of the day. The opposition slowly brought down the gap to 15 then 10 metres and with 1 minute to go it was down to 5 metres, but Tom, as ever, maintained the lead until the hooter stopped the event with the gap at 4 metres. A stunning victory for the team and a fitting end to a very successful first term. So far the seniors have been first in every

league match bar our own where we came second. The Inters, though, managed a famous victory in their category in this match. The seniors also won a great bronze in the Charterhouse mob match and top six performances in all other Wednesday cup matches. The juniors have done well in the league, closing out handy teams in every fixture. Our own Judge Cup in a new format saw both the A and B team in the top six. This was despite one of our brave A team competitors battling heroically against illness. These results coupled with a grand slam of all four borough titles are a testament to the time and effort the students have put in. It is also due to the efforts that Miss Nava, Mr Costello, Mr Bala and Mr Russell have put into the teams which have helped to produce such good results. Mr Russell takes our thanks and appreciation with him as departs for the delights of Essex after Christmas. We wish Mr Russell continued success in his new position closer to his home.