Histon & Harston retain Quadkids titles

The fantastic athletics facilities at Cambridge University Sports Ground on Wilberforce Road played host to the South Cambs School Sport Partnership Year 5 & 6 Quadkids Athletics Competitions last week when 340 children from 28 primary schools competed in either the ‘Small Schools’ or ‘Big Schools’ competition which were both held on the same day.

Quadkids is a team-based competition with 5 boys and 5 girls each competing in a 75m sprint, a 600m run, a long jump and vortex howler throw. Individual performances are scored using a points table and the winners are the team with the highest cumulative points score so it is important that every athlete puts in their very best performance in each event.

The winners of the ‘Big Schools’ competition were Histon and Impington Brook Primary School who have a strong tradition in the event and retained the trophy they won last year with all 10 of their athletes putting in strong performances and finishing in the top 75 athletes overall. Runners up were the University of Cambridge Primary who also finished in 2^nd place last year but took some consolation in having the top scoring boy in their team. Trumpington Park were a close 3^rd with another string performance from their team who all finished in the top 90 from 150 athletes.

It was a similar story in the ‘Small Schools’ competition with the athletes from Harston and Newton all ranking in the top 75 performances helping them to retain the trophy they have won the last three times the competition has been held.  Meldreth were runners up with all of their athletes finishing in the top 100. Meanwhile Petersfield produced their best ever performance to finish 3^rd, largely thanks to their boys who incredibly all ranked in the top 30.

There were also some great individual performances on the day with a mere 7 points separating the top 3 placed girls in the ‘big schools’ event and only 11 points separating the top 3 boys.  Jonah from Linton Heights was the top boy across all 4 events whilst Sophia from University of Cambridge Primary was top placed girl.

The top individuals in the ‘Small Schools’ competition were, for the girls, Sophie from Harston & Newton who was also 4^th individual overall (across boys and girls). Whilst in the boys Lenny from Petersfield top scored with a massive 263 points with great performances in all 4 events including a sub 2min 600m. This score also ranked him as best athlete across the whole day and out of 340 children.

The event was supported by members of the Partnerships successful Leadership Academy programme with a team of over 40 sports leaders from Swavesey Village College helping at both competitions and demonstrating outstanding enthusiasm as well as care and initiative beyond their years in leading the events, scoring and acting as group leaders.

Claire McDonnell, Partnership Manager said,

“It was a great day; it is always one of our favourite events of the year and this year certainly didn’t disappoint.

We were blessed with lovely sunshine, there were some incredible performances and most importantly a lovely atmosphere as the children supported their teammates and the sports leaders encouraged every athlete to give their best effort.

We had a good turn out of parents as well which adds to the occasion and helps to spur the children on in the running events.

There were some excellent performances on the day so congratulations to all of the winners and well done to everyone who took part.

As always, we have to thank the sports leaders who organised and scored the events for us, they did an outstanding job and we simply couldn’t have run the event without them.”