Inspiration Trust Secondary Academies Become Champions in Athletics Tournament

On Friday 30th June, students from all our nine secondaries across the Inspiration Trust came together to compete in the Champions Day Athletics Meet held at the University of East Anglia’s Sportspark. The event brought together students from across Years 7, 8, 9 and 10, totaling over 650 involved in the competition - the highest number of participants in an Inspiration Trust sports event yet!

As one of the biggest sports events in the Inspiration Trust calendar, this was a chance for pupils to show off their athletics skills using a high-quality outdoor venue and cheer their peers on to the finish line with gusto. The students competed in several different track and field events during the day; track events ranged from 100m sprints to 800m, culminating in the 4 x 100m relay races. Field events consisted of long jump, high jump, javelin, shot put and discus. Every pupil competed admirably, showing great sportsmanship, determination and spirit during the day.

Paul Wayman, Inspiration Trust Sports Coordinator said:

"Champions Day is such an apt name for this event. Pupils acted with respect and dignity throughout the day. The focus for the individual awards were based on the 7 Olympic & Paralympic values. We believe this encourages pupils to compete with a purpose and to take pride in representing themselves and their school”. 

There were over 100 races completed and 11 Inspiration Trust track records and 16 field records broken. This was not only an opportunity for those already interested in athletics to show off their talents, but also gave pupils the opportunity to experience what a competition might entail and practice their track and field skills in a professional environment. The event also aimed to encourage more students to take part in sports activities and athletics, both in and outside of a school environment. 

A big thank you goes to the Norfolk Athletics and Sports Leaders, who facilitated the smooth running of the track events, and the PE teachers and staff from our schools that ran the different track and field events during the day. 

Inspiration Trust prides itself on its sports provision which not only includes a nationally-recognised sports curriculum, but includes half-termly Trust-wide sports competitions. Through taking part in sporting competitions students are given the chance to shine outside of the classroom and learn vital skills such as the importance of team work, determination, patience and perseverance. It is also proven that taking part in sport encourages higher standards of achievement, improves cognitive function and improves overall well-being through having fun and making friendships. 

For each field event and for races on the track, gold, silver and bronze medals were given to the winning pupils. Being crowned champions overall were the students from Great Yarmouth Charter Academy, winning an impressive 3 out of 4 of the year group competitions. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication the staff and students have put into preparing for this event. The day concluded with an awards ceremony to show recognition to the athletes who, not only competed at a high level but exhibited sporting values throughout the event, and were based on the Olympic and Paralympic values.

Individual Awards - (Awarded by Norfolk Athletics & Sports Leaders)