*This story appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of The NC

Crossing the finish line in a blaze of glory, Year 12 student and Athletics Captain Harry Halleen claimed multiple victories and smashed a 20-year record at his last AAGPS Athletics Championships.  

Harry lit up the track at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre (SOPAC) this September in front of a roaring 10,000 strong crowd, bringing home three golds for Newington in the Open 3000m, 1500m and 800m when he also broke a GPS record which had stood untouched for two decades. To top that off, Harry then went on to win the GPS medal for the premier GPS cross country runner. 

Throughout his senior years Harry earned a whopping six GPS medals in athletics and cross country, and he has this year became the first Newingtonian to earn three golds at a single AAGPS meet: a feat Head of Sport Mr Mark Dickens says places him in a league of his own. 

‘Harry is in rarified air across the AAGPS,’ says Mr Dickens. 

Harry himself says there’s no feeling quite like competing for the Black and White in front of a huge crowd cheering him on.  

‘Racing in a packed stadium is the ultimate highlight. Hearing the crowd, seeing the sea of the Black and White Army, and knowing everyone is there to support you is incredible,’ he says. 

Reaching the pinnacle with these trackside triumphs, Harry says it feels amazing to have executed such a strong finish to his school life. 

‘Race day really couldn’t have gone much better, and I was absolutely over the moon with my results, especially after breaking the record in the 800m which was previously held by Olympian Lachlan Renshaw,’ he says. 

Harry has competed at Nationals every year since he was nine years old and plans to continue running after he finishes at Newington with the goal of competing at the 2026 World Athletics Under 20 Championships in Oregon, USA. 

Newington College operates a two-year Gifted Athlete Program to help identify, support and equip Newington athletes for success during their days at the College, and pathways onwards to further opportunities. 

‘The driver behind GAP is to support our aspirational athletes, those students who aspire to become professional upon finishing their education and those students who our sporting directors identify as possessing potential across the many different sporting codes offered at Newington,’ says Mr Cameron Black, Head of Athlete Development at Newington. 

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This story appears in the Spring 2025 issue of The NC. You can read all past issues and our current Autumn 2026 issue here.