Athletics
Seniors
This was another successful season for the athletics teams. On Saturdays the School won two out of four fixtures and coming second in the others. The Inters team were again our most successful year group, continuing the record from previous years. The midweek fixtures were also successful but we were unable to remain unbeaten this year.
The Senior Team competed well this season under the captaincy of Dan Strang. There were many fine performances but no School records were broken. Stars on the track were Phil McDonald, and James Lishman in the sprints, with Steven Leach an able understudy. Alex Rodman showed he could compete well in both the 800m and 400m Simon and Chris Evans also competed effectively in the 400m. Dan Strang and Dave Grant scored well in the 800m combined with good points from Alex Lambert and William May in the 1500m. In the field Simon Bright competed very well in both the high and triple jumps ably supported by Simon Evans and William Fowler. In the long jump Phil McDonald Simon Evans and Steven Leach earned good points. BenThomas, William Fowler both had a good season in the javelin. Matthew Keylock, Duncan Cramb and Chris Evans were effective competitors in the shot and discus.
The U17’s had an excellent season, losing only one Saturday fixture to Eton College; the team was bolstered by some good U16 pupils on Saturday matches. On the track Christian Grauers earned good points in the hurdles, sprint events and long jump. Matthew Hull competed well in the 400m and long jump. Tom Shanahan made an excellent contribution in the javelin, high jump and 800m and John Whitehouse gained maximum points in the 1500m.
Charley Thomas was dominant in both the shot and discus, ably supported by Oliver Luton. In both the long and triple jumps Tom Arnold gained many points and Rob Whitehouse proved to be a good high jumper. The U16 team had a successful season, despite having a small squad and suffering injuries to a number of key members of the team. Victories were gained over King Edward’s Aston, Handsworth Grammar School, RGS Worcester, King Edward’s Camp Hill, Great Barr and Warwick School.
Several members of the team also competed regularly for the U17 team on Saturdays. Particularly noteworthy were: Joe Hone, who was an excellent captain and competed with distinction in the Hurdles, 800m and High Jump. Tom Chalkley, who was a revelation in the sprints and deservedly won the 200m in the Borough Championships (and came second in the 100m). He also equalled the Sports Day record in the 200m. Chris Rosin was outstanding in the Triple and Long Jumps (second in the Borough Championships) and the 400m, in which he was the Borough Champion. Drew Masters, had a very brief season because of injury and yet managed to win the Long Jump on Sports Day and at the Borough Championships. Tom Bradshaw performed well in the sprints and hurdles after an early season injury Alex Chadwick made a valuable all-round contribution to the team despite the shoulder injury which ruled him out of his best event, the Javelin.
Joe Brady emerged towards the end of the season as a real talent in the shot and Jon Proud made a valuable all-round contribution, including a gutsy fourth place in the 400m in the Borough Championships. Finally, I would like to mention John Harris who featured in a number of events and to whom I was always grateful for his reliability and whole-hearted, effort. In the Borough Championships the final scores were:
1st Solihull 98 pts
2nd Arden 96.5 pts
3rd CTC 49.5 pts
It was a narrow victory, but a considerable achievement, given the unavailability of several athletes because of a clash with the Geography Field Trip.
U15
This season has seen a steady improvement in the performances of the U15.
Evren Ahmet and Daniel Mills proved to be effective competitors in the sprints. Tom Shiels and Stuart Clarke were always competitive in the hurdles and long jump. Nigel Moss and Joshua Heley scored good points in the 400m. In the 800m Clémont Labouche, and James Wintle had an impressive duel throughout the season with James just coming out on top. Adam Harkin had a very successful season in the 1500m, winning most of his races and posting an impressive personal best time in the West Midlands Championships, he was well supported by Nicholas Elliott and Matthew Simpson.
In the high jump Joseph Swani scored highly and was close to the school record on a number of times, and he was ably supported by Nigel Moss and Matthew Simpson. The Triple jump was dominated by Adam Hughes, when he was able to compete but Nigel Moss and Daniel Mills were also competitive. There was much competition in the shot with Adam Hughes, Chris Horswill and Clémont Labouche fighting for points. Nicholas Elliott, Matthew Simpson and Joseph Jenkins were all competitive in the discus. The javelin was thrown well by Tom Shiels, Nigel Moss and Callum Brehany.
U14
This season has seen a steady improvement in the performances of the U14 team culminating in second place in the Borough Championshiop Notable performances in the season were Robert Ashby breaking two Sports Day records (100m and High Jump) and missing out on a third by a 1/10th of a second. Jamie Broomhall had an excellent competition with Robert Ashby in the Borough Championships in the High Jump. There was much competition in the sprint events with James Trueman, Alex Currie and Robert Ashby proving to be strong competitors, capable of scoring well.William Barber, Charles Rodman and Joe Sharp always gained good points for the team in the hurdles.
Alex Currie and Frank Phillips competed well in the 400m. In the middle distances Alex Crichton and Jonathan Simpkins ran well in the 800m, with James Evans acting as an able substitute and Charles Rodman and Mohammed Moselhy in the 1500m. Jamie Broomhall and Robert Ashby were capable of giving us maximum points in the high jump. Frank Phillips, James Trueman and William Barber all competed strongly in the long and triple jumps. In the throws there were some good performances from Alex Crichton, Matthew Lancina, Patrick Farrelly, James Evans and George Gibbs.
U13
The U13 team had a reasonable season winning 1 match and coming 2nd in all the others. On the track Ben Trenchard and Tom Wintle competed well in the Hurdles.William McTighe, Alex Winter, Matthew Routledge and Jonathan Holland all gained good points in the sprint events. Jonathan Holland and William McTighe also competed effectively in the 400m. In the middle distances Tom Wintle, Fergus Wassell, Ben Crowe and Edward Johnson all ran well.
In the field events Jonathan Watts and Ben Crowe competed well in the high jump. Ben Trenchard, Martin Bullard, Matthew Routledge and Ben Crowe scored many points in the long and triple jumps. Tom Wintle, Sam Middleton and Jonathan Holland competed well in the shot and discus and Stephen Bowland and William McTighe threw the javelin with much success.
As ever the athletics matches could not take place without a great deal of help from many members of staff and I would like to thank all those who gave up their time, in what is a very busy term, to help officiate. I am sure all teammembers would also join me in thanking Mr Ginns and Mr Goatham who have helped organise the teams.
Mr N W S Leonard
Borough Champions
U16 Borough Champions
Tom Chalkley (200m)
Drew Masters (Long Jump)
Chin Rosin (400m)
The following pupils represented Solihull Borough at the West Midlands Championships: Phil McDonald (100m, Relay), Alex Rodman (400m), Dan Strang (800m), Alex Lambert (1500m), Simon Bright (Triple Jump), James Lishman (100m, 200m), Simon Evans (400m and High jump), Edward Houghton (400m and High jump), Tom Shanahan (Javelin and 800m), Rob Whitehouse (High jump), Tom Bradshaw (100m and relay), Tom Chalkley (100m, 200m and 4 x 100m Relay), Chris Rosin (200m, Long jump and relay), Adam Harkin (1500m), Nigel Moss (400m), Tom Shiels (Hurdles and Javelin), William Barber (Hurdles), Matthew Lancina (Javelin), Jamie Broomhall (High Jump), Alex Crichton ( Discus), George Gibbs (Discus).
Cross Country
It has been a season of ifs and buts for the Cross Country team this year. After a scintillating unbeaten start, injuries began to take their toll. It was not until after Christmas, when our ranks were bolstered by the inclusion of Ciaran Page, that we started to show the promising form of the beginning of the season again. Unfortunately, this was too little too late; we finished the season in a respectable third place in the Greater Birmingham League - annoyingly just one more victory off the second spot. In the individual league rankings, plaudits must go to Alex Lambert and John Whitehouse, who gained second and fourth place respectively – although we are still puzzled by how John manages to run after drinking a litre of coke before each race.
In the invitation relays, Solihull School managed to finish sixth in the Midlands in the RGS Worcester Race and twenty-seventh nationally in the King Henry VIII Coventry Race. Also worthy of a mention is the recent King Edward’s Birmingham Relay at Cannon Hill Park, where, similarly to the year before, we had second place snatched from us due to one runner losing his way. Regrettably,Will May and I have to say farewell. However, Mr Holt’s army is left in the very capable hands of Alex Lambert, replacing me as the new captain, and Ruairi Page as the vice-captain.
Finally, I must praise our gaffer, Mr Holt, who has led the troops with style and aplomb whatever the weather. I wish his team every success in the coming year.
Dave Grant