Feet firing, legs leaping, muscles straining and hearts pumping: students at Newington launched into their official athletics training last week. 

As winter sport ends the GPS athletics season begins. Senior College students are already deep into their official training, spending most afternoons running, jumping and throwing their way around Newington’s Buchanan Oval. 

With eyes on the prize, our track and field athletes are pushing for personal bests (PBs) across the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m and 3km as well as the 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m relays, hurdles, shot put, long jump, javelin and high jump, before the Newington invitational carnival on Saturday 30 August. With an expected team of 90 students, the athletics season will culminate in the AAGPS Carnival on Saturday 20 September. 

Hosted at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre (SOPAC), this carnival typically attracts more than 10,000 spectators, including a swathe of Newington College students and supporters, who fill the stands with both their presence and full-force cheering. According to Year 12 student and Athletics Captain Harry H, there’s no feeling quite like competing for the Black and White in front of a huge crowd. 

‘Racing in a packed stadium is the ultimate highlight,’ says Harry, who last year won gold in both the Opens 3000m Championship and Opens 1500m Championship, in a brisk 8min 55.74s and 3min 59.76s respectively. 

‘The energy is unmatched. Hearing the crowd, seeing the sea of the Black and White Army, and knowing everyone is there to support you is an incredible feeling.  The camaraderie and pride in being a Newington student are a huge part of what makes the experience so special. I can’t wait to get out there again this year and compete with the team.’ 

Last year, Newington brought home a collection for the trophy cabinet, including (now Year 12) Bailey R’s gold in the Opens 100m Championship (10.66s) and Luca Cleverley’s (ON 2024) gold in the Opens Shotput Championship with a throw of 15.69m. Several students also set Newington records last year, including Bailey R in the U17s 200m (21.42s), Leon T (now Year 12) in the U16s 200m (22.22s) and U16s 400m (50.09s) and Ioannis T (now Year 10) in the U14s 400m (52.52s). Current Year 9 students Jake W, Cooper A, Saxon R and Taj R also achieved a new Newington record in the Junior 4 x 400m relay (3min 49.33s). 

The athletics program at Newington is structured over a five-week period when our coaches work closely with athletes and encourage them to develop and improve their skills on the track and field. Athletics is open to all students in Years 7 to 12, who are welcome to attend training sessions on Mondays to Thursdays to try their hand at gaining selection into the high calibre Newington Athletics Team. 

Mr Cameron Black, Director of Athletics, says the more students who get involved, the better the outcome for the entire sport at the College. 

‘Whether you are selected for representation or not, there is much to be gained in terms of personal achievement, as well as a sense of pride in contributing to the growth of our athletics program,’ he says. 

Harry H, who will be pulling on his spikes for his last season running for Newington, says being part of a team is one of the things he has loved most.  

‘While most of the competition is about individual performance, the coaching staff and the team culture emphasise that every single effort counts,’ he explains.  

‘The friendships I’ve formed with teammates, the support I’ve had from coaches, and the experiences we’ve had together will remain with me for a long time to come.’ 

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For more information about sporting opportunities at Newington, visit https://www.newington.nsw.edu.au/co-curricular/sport/. 

If you are part of the Newington community, you can also find out more about our athletics program on New Spaces.