Scotch College

Scotch athletes crowned as national champions

Last December, 10 of Scotch’s finest senior athletes became national champions in the Schools’ Knockout Athletics Competition.

Words: Matt Grose – Vice-Captain of Athletics (2008).

Until 2008, Scotch had never entered a team in the Schools’ Knockout Athletics Competition, a team event which provides athletes with the opportunity to compete at a high level outside of the weekly APS meets.

Last year, head coaches Messrs Andrew Argent and Chris Hayes and Miss Meg Mulcahy decided to enter two junior and two senior teams in the regional finals, held in August. After convincing performances across all events in the regional and state finals, our senior gold team qualified for the final of the national plate competition, held in December at Olympic Park.

Usually the APS athletics season culminates with the combined sports late in October. However, qualifying for the national titles extended our season and gave us an opportunity to finish off the year on a high. In preparation for this event, the Scotch team of 10 athletes trained hard after exams, ready to make the most of this opportunity.

On 11 December James Martin was Scotch’s first competitor on the track, beginning the day with a gutsy run in the 1,500 metres and clocking a time of 4.33.04. Big men from the Hill Malcolm Dotoi and Lachie Cohen both contested the javelin and shot put. Lachie placed Scotch in medal contention early and was most impressive, finishing second in both events and recording distances of 47.44 metres (javelin) and 13.62 metres (shot put).

Scintillating performances from our sprinters saw Scotch move closer and closer to the gold medal position. After just returning from the Pan Pacific Games in Canberra, star athlete Harry Borthwick won his heat of the 400 metres with a time of 51.36 seconds, and came second in his heat of the 100 metres with a time of 11.70 seconds.

Scotch flyer champion Brenton Morley was courageous in his heat of the 200-metre hurdles, finishing second with a time of 28.55 seconds, and captain of athletics Jake Sofo led by example with a strong run in the 400 metres. Rowan Bourke continued to prove his amazing versatility by winning his heat of the 100 metres in a time of 11.84 seconds, then following this up with a fourth in the triple jump. Vice-captain Matt Grose returned to the squad after suffering a hamstring tear to record three consistent jumps in the triple jump.

With only the 4x400-metre relay remaining, Scotch held on to the gold medal position by one point from Mercedes College, Adelaide. Needing to win the relay to secure the national title, our team of Seb Woodard, Harry Borthwick, Rowan Bourke and Jake Sofo did not disappoint, winning the race in a time of 3.31.14 and crowning the Scotch team as winners of the plate competition and national champions. The plate was presented to the school by the team at assembly on 9 February.

Congratulations to all the athletes involved, and many thanks to the coaching staff for giving us this amazing opportunity. GS