This year the Meridian Trust Athletics Championships had a new home at Bedford International Athletics Stadium.
It also involved a new programme which included speed bounce, 300m, 400m and 800m and a new scoring system which led to a very close competition.
13 schools from across Meridian Trust took part with each year group fielding a team of six girls and six boys. Each student had to participate in a run, throw and jump with four students then taking on the relay.
Natasha Seabrook, PE and Sport Curriculum Leader (Secondary) at Meridian Trust, said: “The weather was kind to us and set up for a great day of competition. Competition was fierce and relentless in all events, every second and centimetre counting towards each school’s total, some students aiming for the record, some a personal best and some to just complete. Whatever the student’s reason for competing they all had a fantastic day and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
“The support from every school, for their own students and others created an electric atmosphere and seeing the camaraderie and support amongst students from different schools within Meridian Trust is what makes these events so valuable.”
One student said “I came last in the 100 metres but it did not matter because I was cheered all the way along!”
14 records were broken on the day, some of which have stood since the competition began in 2018.
– Lexi Harrison from Ely College broke the year 10 girls’ 800m record and holds the year 9 one from last year.
– Elijah Lawson from Sharnbrook Academy took the year 9 boys’ long jump record and also broke the Year 8 record last year.
– Jago Tregenna and Monty Chatfield got Northstowe Secondary College on the Roll of Honour list taking the Year 9 and 10 boys discus records.
The most exciting events of the day proved to be the relays. With all schools fielding their quickest four runners it was going to come down to slick change overs and all schools were finely tuned but it was Sharnbrook Academy and Sawtry Village Academy who took the records, Sawtry the year 10 girls and Sharnbrook both the year 9s.
The individual honours were spread across all 13 schools and all schools took home silverwear with students proudly wearing their individual winners’ medals.
The overall year group honours went to:
- Year 7, Lincroft Academy with a 72 point lead over Sawtry Village Academy in second place and Sharnbrook Academy third.
- Year 8 was very close with Swavesey Village College winning by 11 points, Sawtry Village Academy in second and Sharnbrook Academy in 3rd.
- Year 9, Sharnbrook Academy won by 80 points with Swavesey Village College 2nd and Sawtry Village Academy 3rd.
- Year 10 was won by Sawtry Village Academy, with Nene Park Academy 2nd and Lincroft Academy 3rd.
Sawtry Village Academy won the overall competition with 1731 points, Swavesey Village College were second and Lincroft Academy in third.
