Foundation Magazine 2021-2022 | Mount Kelly

SPORT
ATHLETICS
COLLEGE
SPORT
PREP
ESAA TRACK AND FIELD CUP
The first athletics tournament of the
season and a first chance for 26 Prep
pupils to shine across a full range of track
and field events. Many pupils were taking
part in their first ever athletics tournament,
some competing in events that they had
rarely had the opportunity to master. With
no pupil able to compete in any more
than 2 events, and team points gained for
performance not race position this truly is
a team event.
The 14 boys selected from across Years
7/8 in the Junior Boys Category did
tremendously well against some very
large schools in Devon and finished in
2nd place.
The 12 girls representing the school in the
Junior Girls category claimed 3rd Place
against the same schools.
MOUNT KELLY TROPHY
Following on from our impressive
showing at KCT, our Mount Kelly athletes
once again gave their all for the school.
The Mount Kelly Trophy is truly a team
event, with points being earned for every
position gained.
There were of course some notable
individual performances and eleven of our
athletes have the opportunity to compete
for the Drake team at the Nationals on the
4 July.
The Mount Kelly Team went on to win the
Girls and Boys U14 Trophies and 2 of the
Relay cups.
Mr Buckley’s Champagne moments:
Three records were broken on the day one
of which was in the Open Boys 1500m, in
which Caleb Gifford-Groves led from the
gun and smashed the previous record.
NPSA NATIONALS: NUNEATON
As a result of the outstanding levels
achieved by our athletes at the Mount
Kelly Trophy, 9 athletes were selected
to appear for Team Drake at the NPSA
Nationals. As would be expected of a
national tournament the standard of track
and field on show was incredibly high.
Our athletes were mixing with current
and future Team GB performers and
competed splendidly.
The most notable performance came
once again from Caleb Gifford-Groves
in the Open Boys 1500m. Competing
against the best regional athletes from
across the UK, Caleb stormed home in
1st place gaining a gold medal for himself
and the Team.
The athletics season started with
the Track and Field Cup in Exeter
giving pupils an opportunity to try
different events and earn points for their
team. The highlight of the day was the
boys 4 x100 relay team of Rory Summers,
John Warren, Rowan Caldwell and
Bartholomew Grainger dominating right
from the starting gun with some smooth
change overs leading to their fantastic win.
Many Mount Kelly athletes competed
at the Devon County Championships in
Exeter bringing home a healthy number
of medals. Gold medals were won by
Rory Summers in the 400m, Kate Gray in
the 300m Hurdles and Ben Callard in the
Long Jump. Silver medals were won by
Louisa Hess in the Hammer and Discus,
Annabelle Hess in the 400m, Kate Gray in
the 300m and Ben Callard in the 200m.
Bronze medals were won by Louisa Hess
in the Shot Put, Caitlin Dolby in the 1500m
and Ellena Hess in the 3000m.
This year we saw the return of the Plymouth
and West Devon Schools Athletics Trials
after a two year break due to Covid-19.
With record numbers of athletes in
attendance and then a horrendous
afternoon of rain it was not ideal conditions
for our athletes. All competitors rose to
the challenge and once again we saw
some impressive performances. Erin
Little and Leah Bowen dominated the
800m in 1st and 3rd position respectively,
Bartholomew Grainger won the Inter Boys
100m, Kate Gray won the inter girls 300m,
Daniela Palacio-Fernandez won the Junior
Girls 1500m and Annabelle Hess was very
pleased with her 400m PB which gained
her 2nd place. In the field events Ruban
Ganfield and Ben Called won their Long
Jump events, Daisy Heal came second in
the long jump and Louisa Hess was busy
with the throwing events gaining a 2nd in
the Hammer and 3rd in both the Shot Put
and Discus.
15 pupils from Year 7 up to Year 13
were selected to represent the Plymouth
and West Devon Schools Athletics team
at the Devon Schools Track and Field
Championships at Exeter Arena in June.
There were some great performances from
up and coming athletes from the Prep with
Florence Riggott in the 800m and Jimmy
Berry in the Javelin. Other highlights of the
day included Kate Gray gaining 1st place
in the 300m and the 300m hurdles for the
Inter Girls; Louisa Hess came second in
the Inter Girls hammer with a pb; Esmee
Stockley qualified for the 100m final for
the Inter Girls and stepped up to compete
with Erlina Ainsworth and Annabelle Hess
in the Senior Girl’s relay who came first.
Erlina gained 3rd place in the Senior Girls
100m earlier in the day. Ruban Ganfield
won the Junior boys Long Jump with an
impressive pb. Bartholomew Grainger
broke the sub 12 sec barrier for the Inter
Boys 100m and also competed in the
winning relay team later in the afternoon.
Rory Summers came first in the Inter Boys
400m and Ben Callard came first in the
Senior Boys Long Jump. All our athletes
gave of their best and coped well with a
long day and waiting for their events.
Four Mount Kelly athletes represented
Devon at the South West Schools Track
and Field Championships at the Exeter
Arena. Louisa Hess competed in the
morning coming second in the Hammer
event. Kate Gray came 4th in the 300m
Hurdles. Ruben Ganfield coped well with
his first time competing at this level coming
4th in the Long Jump. Ben Callard also
competed in the Long Jump coming first,
he went on to anchor the 4 X100 relay in
dreadful weather conditions securing 3rd
place for the Devon team.
Three athletes were selected to represent
Devon at the National Schools Track and
Field Championships in Manchester at
the beginning of July. A badly timed case
of Covid-19 meant that Ben Callard was
unable to compete in the Long Jump,
but Louisa Hess and Kate Gray put in
impressive performances in their events.
Kate came 6th in her heat in the 300m
Hurdles and Louisa came 10th throwing
the Hammer a distance of 42.26m.
All three athletes are congratulated for
qualifying to compete at this event.
128 | THE FOUNDATION 21-22 THE FOUNDATION 22-23 | 129