National Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships June 19 2010

For the first time in our school’s history, one of our athletes has gained a 1st placing in the Year 9 race at this year’s National Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships.  Jacob Priddey, the Waikato Bay of Plenty Cross Country Champion, the North Island 3000m Junior Boys title holder and the Waikato Bay of Plenty Junior Duathlon and Triathlon Champion, can now add a national championship title to his impressive list of sporting achievements.

Leading for the entire 3000m race, over a challenging cross country course, Jacob held a 15metre lead with 100 metres to go.  Coming off the last hurdle into a down hill stretch, Jacob was unaware, (over the roar of the crowd) that a Wellington athlete was rapidly closing in on him.  In a photo finish, Jacob won by 0.1 of a second.  198 boys from schools throughout New Zealand competed for this prestigious title.  To win such an event is an extraordinary accomplishment and testament to Jacob’s talent, tenacity and rigorous training schedule.

Also worthy of mention are four other talented athletes who accompanied Jacob to Waikanae.  Marek Schirnack gained 47th placing in the Year 9 race; a particularly impressive performance given that injury and illness plagued Marek’s build up to this event.

In the Under 16 Junior Boys Race Theunis Pieter’s 23rd placing was a magnificent achievement in a field of 192 boys.  Drikus Conradie, (who still has another year in this age group,) finished well within the top half of the field with a 71st placing.

Cameron Hall again had to perform without the support of team mates and in the biggest field of the day, 230 athletes, his 109 placing was praiseworthy.