Towards the end of June, sports days were held at Brondesbury cricket ground for both the Junior House and the Senior House of St Anthony's School for Boys.
In the summer, a 300m grass track is marked out and this was the centre of events.
Pupils competed by year group in a range of distances from 100m all the way up to 600m, which is two laps of the track.
There were some very impressive performances indeed: it is clear that St Anthony’s has some fine sprinters and middle-distance runners among its pupils.
Indeed, a number had achieved distinction earlier that month in the London Inter-Prep Schools Championship held at Eton College.
A great many field events were also held, such as the long jump, the high jump, and even a javelin competition — accommodating modern notions of health and safety, naturally!
The weather was fine and a great many parents were present to support their children.
Sports days such as these provide so much more for children than just outdoor exercise - the management of nerves before a race, race tactics, pacing for longer events and above all good sportsmanship.
In athletics, if you have not done the training you will not get the results - luck is much less of a factor than in other sports.
If you have done the training and everything else holds together, you are sure to be rewarded. If you are beaten, it will be because other athletes are better than you.
As an athlete of sorts myself, I always make a point of congratulating fellow runners after a race, provided they have not gone home by the time I cross the finish line!
- Richard McMillan is academic in residence at St Anthony’s School for Boys, Hampstead.
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