The Cokethorpe Summer Games 2022 was an eagerly anticipated event, after the success of the previous year. With a return to normality across the sporting world, we were delighted to welcome back individual running races, javelin, shot put and discus. The tension between rival Houses was simmering nicely under the surface in the lead up to the day, with the Housemasters and Housemistresses competitive nature on show for all to see.
The day arrived with threats of a storm across West Oxfordshire, but fortunately for pupils, parents, and staff – there was not enough rain to stop play and all the action was in the athletics. Across the afternoon, pupils took part in the 100m, 200m and 400m races, followed by the ever-popular Tug of War and concluding with the 4 x by 100m relay.
There were some dominant performances in the 100m from Adam (Second Form, Feilden), Jonty (Third Form, Queen Anne) and Ben (Lower Sixth, Swift) who all sprinted to victory in their respective races. It was in the 400m where we saw some incredible drama, beginning in the First and Second Form race where Isobella Clarke (First Form, Queen Anne) broke the previous School record with a time of 1.17. The first race of the Third and Fourth Form girls saw Harriet (Fourth Form, Harcourt) break another School record with a time of 1.19, only for Felicity (Fourth Form, Vanbrugh) to break Harriet’s record in race two with a time of 1.11.
The Javelin event demonstrated more athletic prowess from our pupils. Monica (First Form, Swift) won her category, with a 15.22 metre throw – a similar distance to that of girls four years her senior. Sam (Fourth Form, Feilden) was in fine form throwing nearly 30 metres, which was only a metre short of some of the Sixth Form students.
In the shot put, Jordyn (Third Form, Gascoigne) secured first place in Third and Fourth Form Girls’ category with an astonishing new School record, 9.85 metres. And in the discus, there was another School record for Isobel (Lower Sixth, Queen Anne) who threw a whopping 19.37 metres.
Despite some dominant performances from Feilden in the 4 x 100m relay, Swift House triumphed as overall with Millie (Lower Sixth, Swift) accepting the Cup from next year’s Head of School, Jamie (Lower Sixth, Queen Anne). Whilst athletics will ultimately celebrate victories, we must remember that sport encompasses many different facets, and the Cokethorpe Summer Games celebrates the pupils who have the courage to represent their House, the ambition to try new events, and the empathy to show sportsmanship towards each other.
Mr J Robinson (Acting Head of Sport)
