Trophy Win

Highgate's junior team defeated St Paul's, Eton, Epsom College, Tonbridge and Wellington at the Lord Burghley Trophy to record the school's first team athletics victory of the season. The competition, hosted by Eton at The Thames Valley Harriers' Stadium was once again fiercely contested with the final result coming down to the last 2 events of the day; the 4 x 100m and the 4 x 400m relays. With St Paul's and Highgate level on points prior to the first relay, the pressure was on, but the quartet of Casper Phillips, Conor Whitmore, Joe Fitzpatrick and Ryan Evans blitzed around the track to record their 3rd relay victory in a row before Luke and Josh Ames-Blackaby, Henry Smith and Ben Kovar held on for 2nd in the 4 x 400m to seal a fantastic (and somewhat unexpected) overall team win.

The meeting also marked the end of 7 years or of fine service to Highgate athletics for a number of Y13 athletes. Captain Jesse Portner, who has not missed a single match for the school in 5 years - experiencing all the various highs and lows which come with the sport along the way, ended his school 'career' on a definite high by winning the B 400m in a new personal best of 53.6 seconds. He will undoubtedly go down as one of the 'greats' if not for his superb 400m and 800m performances over the years, then for his 100% commitment to the team and his unfaltering willingness to fill any event asked of him at any time. Others to bow out were Henrik Sundvik who has also excelled at the 400m and 800m since year 9, whilst becoming a 'points machine' in the relays, Long Jump, Triple Jump and most recently the steeplechase, ultra-reliable jumps specialists Nick Lindo and Tom Hood (Nick also bravely running the rather terrifying high hurdles this season) and Marcus Constantine, whose excellent javelin throwing has seen him win honours at county level.

Other outstanding Highgate performances on the day came from Nick Hooton in the senior 800m who smashed his pb to run 2.02, the hard-working Harry Ashman in a range of U17 events, Joe Cowan in the senior triple jump (11 metres 85cm), Gabriel Mador in the junior throws and the Ames-Blackaby brothers who between them notched up 50 points for the winning U15 team with Luke recording 4.29 for the 1500m, just 3 seconds short of the school record.  GDC

U15 Junior Team Result:

Highgate: 215 points
St Paul's: 205 points
Eton: 198 points
Epsom: 187 points
Tonbridge: 176 points
Wellington: 163 points

Lord Burghley Trophy Overall Result:

Epsom: 633 points
Eton: 619 points
St Paul's: 588 points
Tonbridge: 568 points
Highgate: 512 points
Wellington: 509 points
Radley: 199 points
Pangbourne: 173 points

Highgate Athletes of the match:

U15: Josh Ames-Blackaby. 1st B 400m 60.3 seconds. 1st B shot 9metres 30. 2nd B 1500m 4.59. 4 x 400m relay leg 59 seconds
U17: Harry Ashman: 3rd A 400m 54.1 secs, 5th A 100m Hurdles 15.5 secs, 5th A High Jump 1m60, 2nd B Long Jump 5m29
U19: Jesse Portner: 1st B 400m 53.6 seconds, 5th A 110m Hurdles, 5th B 100m 12.1 secs, 4 x 400m leg 53 seconds

SE/GDC/NJS/DJ

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