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THE ALLEYNIAN 710
ATHLETICS
ROB WOOD
The Dulwich athletes enjoyed a hugely successful season, with large numbers attending regular training sessions after school, some new competitive fixtures and many boys achieving excellent times and distances throughout the summer. The Year 12 boys have led the way with their commitment, competitive spirit and sportsmanship in competition. Elliott Cox, Jamie Anderson, Teddy Cunliffe, Sasha Strigo, Kai Weakley-Rugge, Billy Morris, Thomas Wautier, Oliver Suthersanen-Tutt, Alex Cogolludo-Blank, Jasper Richardson and Oliver Hector made up a strong team, competing at Lord Wandsworth College, Tonbridge and Harrow. Oliver Hector, who also competes at Herne Hill Harriers, has been named athletics captain for next year, and under his leadership the boys named above, together with Daniel Davies, who is returning from injury, will make up an excellent senior team. The Year 10 boys followed their lead superbly with Nathan Firla, Theo Ladure, Quentin Myers, Matthew Corkum, James Lumeh-Kamara, Otto Gibbon, Alex Jack and Jonny Yang forming a strong core within the team. They exemplify the dedicated approach to training required of successful athletes and it is impressive how they have tried their hands at almost all events throughout the year. The Year 9 team is similarly talented, and includes many boys with DC Junior School athletics experience, who have been joined by the new boys, eager to impress and to show their talents. Michael Ijeh, Sam Osimuwa, Seth Davidson-Petch, Nate Ground, Dylan Kalsi, Max Mukerji, Vinny Pearce, Joseph Norris, Tristan Saunders, Antoine Andrews, Xavier Wild and Noah Ridgeon have developed an excellent team spirit, improving their individual performances steadily throughout the season. The Year 7 and 8 boys enjoyed a number of new fixtures, competing more than they would have done in the past. Trips to Brentwood, RGS Guildford and Epsom College were great fun and gave the younger athletes a real experience of what to expect in the Middle and Upper Schools. The highlight was the RGS Guildford Multi Event where the Year 7 team of Seth Ridgeon, Max Reglar, Matthieu Ladure
and Freddie Pickering placed first overall. The Year 8 team of Orson Matthews, Adam Storey, Warren Wilson and Oliver Bond also did very well to come second. The Track and Field Cup is always a highlight of the calendar, even though this year we could only hold one regional round with no finals, due to the pandemic. The DC junior team placed first with 418 points, Jasper Von Bebenburg posting the best individual score of 40 points. The intermediate team also won with a score of 466 points, Nathan Firla posting 43 points. Dulwich has always had a proud tradition of multi eventing, which gives the boys a chance to experience as many disciplines of track and field as possible. Theo Ladure (Year 10) and Tristan Saunders (Year 9) excelled this year, progressing through both the London and then the South East rounds to qualify for the national combined events final in Bedford in September 2021. This is a huge physical and mental achievement, with both athletes attaining many personal bests along the way. No fewer than 19 Dulwich boys were rewarded for all of their hard work in competition by achieving the standard to compete at the London Schools Championships in Battersea. From that competition Noah Ridgeon (300m), James Lumeh-Kamara (long jump), Christo Chilton (1500m) and Jamaal Darlington (high jump) all qualified to attend the English Schools Championships in Manchester in July. Christo and James did very well to make the championships as they have another year at their intermediate age group. Jamaal jumped 1.91m to place fifth overall and Noah Ridgeon capped an outstanding season with a third place and a bronze medal in the 300m. Overall, the 2021 season saw an outstanding effort across the board, from Junior School sports day, where Freddie Brown, Aidan Smyth and Joshua Jelbert set new school records in the high jump, to our elite athletes attending English Schools, and including all in between. It has been fantastic to see the track teeming with boys every day after school, and this team culture has allowed several individuals to push on to real excellence.
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