Bellingen High school had a small squad of only 22 athletes representing it at the North Coast Athletics Carnival in Coffs Harbour on August 8.
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Many more students had qualified but due to injury and a three-day year 10 camp, the squad was much smaller than previous years. Obviously size doesn't matter as the athletes who competed achieved amazing results.
The North Coast CHS Carnival involves athletes from 39 schools from Tweed Heads in the north to Wauchope in the south.
Bellingen HS managed to have three age champions on the day, which is outstanding:
Josh Upsall - 12 years boys Champion - 1st - 800m, 80m hurdles, high jump
Max Cracknell - 13 years boys Champion - 1st -100m, 200m, 90m hurdles
Willow Neal - 17 years+ girls Champion - 1st -400m, triple jump 2nd - 800m, high jump
Other individuals to qualify for the NSW CHS Championships by finishing in the top two in their event were
Anthony Heather - 13 years boys - 2nd - 100m,
Kyan Upsall - 14 years boys - 1st - 800m, 1500m
Bonnie Malt - 13 years girls - 1st - 80m hurdles
Djarrah Clark - 14 years boys - 2nd - 100m hurdles
Emily Kilpatrick - 16 years girls - 100m hurdles
Samuel Case - 15 years boys - 2nd - 1500m Walk
Lulu McGrath - 13 years girls - 1st - long jump, Triple jump
Eliza Cross - 13 years girls - 2nd - Discus
Special mention must go to Lulu McGrath as a 13 year old competing in a 12-15 year old age bracket for the girls triple jump. Not only did Lulu beat girls up to two years older than her but across all age groups on the day she posted the second biggest jump. Obviously she has a big future.
The great achievements were not all individuals, as three Bellingen teams qualified for NSW CHS State Carnival in the 4x100m age relay teams.
13 years girls - 2nd (Lulu McGrath, Jayme Garrett, Bonnie Malt, Tiara Salmon)
14 years boys - 1st (Anthony Heather, Max Cracknell, Kyan Upsall, Djarrah Clark)
17 years+ - 1st (Willow Neal, Holly Pagulayan-McCabe, Ashley Sticker, Sophie Keough)
The 14 years girls team missed out narrowly by just over half a second due to some ordinary baton changes. With just a little more practice next year they should qualify too.
Overall, Bellingen HS was placed third on points out of the 39 schools, only beaten by teams twice their size. What a great result and fantastic to see so many young athletes doing so well!
