Athletics Carnival
MAGNIFICENT MERRIWA WIN IT AGAIN IN 2025
Merriwa House won their 3rd Bruce Revell Shied in a row, in one of the closest Athletics Carnivals in recent memory yesterday.
They amassed 1323 points to complete their historic 3-peat and clinch their 8th title since 1953 to win our 109th ever Carnival. However they were challenged all day by Ovens (1288) just 35 points away, and Wareena (1228) also at their heels, and then and King (1060).
Senior House Captains Alec Armstrong and Teagan Wilson lifted the prestigious Shield, flanked by their younger Captains, before the whole Yellow Army joined them to celebrate.
In a special moment, Principal Dave Armstrong presented the Shield to his son - almost certainly the 1st time that's ever happened.
Vice Principal John Paola celebrated too. He lifted the Shield himself as Merriwa Senior House Captain (alongside Elise Ashmead) in 1995, 30 years ago.
Merriwa were again powered by a deeply talented Year 9 cohort which collected 639 points themselves. They were by far the most dominant cohort, followed by the Ovens Year 12s (523 points), the Wareena Year 11s (377), Ovens Year 7s, and the Wareena Year 8s (304).
Breaking it down further, the Merriwa’s Year 9 Girls alone gathered a monstrous 392 points, to be the standout sector by far, for the 2nd year running. What a bunch of girls they are.
Of the 12 prestigious Age Group Champion medals, Wareena had the most winners with 4, while Merriwa and Ovens boasted 3 each, and 2 went to King.
AGE GROUP CHAMPIONS -
13 Boys – Noah Anderson – WAREENA – 90 points.
13 Girls – Ava Penney – OVENS - 76 points.
14 Boys – Teo Valle – WAREENA – 82 points.
14 Girls – Paige-Lee Dummett – KING – 80 points.
15 Boys – Clarence Lampa – MERRIWA – 66 points.
15 Girls – Inanay Gilson – MERRIWA – 88 points.
16 Girls – Emily Swinburne – MERRIWA – 70 points.
16 Boys – James Chisholm – WAREENA – 60 points.
17 Boys – Jack Ford – WAREENA – 66 points.
17 Girls – Milly O’Kane – KING – 88 points.
18+ Boys – Tom Ford – OVENS – 73 points.
18+ Girls – Claire Christison – OVENS – 80 points.
The most dominant were Noah Anderson (38 points clear), Milly O’Kane (37), Teo Valle (32) and Inanay Gilson (27). All other battles were decided by less than 10.
The 15 Boys contest was the tightest, with Clarence Lampa (66 points) saluting by just 4 points from classmate Hugh Spring (62), and just 8 from Oskar McGahan, to win his 2nd in a row.
The 16 Girls was similar, with Emily Swinburne (70) taking it from her childhood mate Isabelle Christison (64) by just 6 points.
At the 17 Boys, Jack Ford was challenged by great mate Emilio Miliankos-King who just 10 points back.
Many now boast a stack of Age Group medals - Tom Ford (5), Claire Christison (4), James Chisholm, Inanay Gilson & Milly O’Kane (all have 3 straight), and Clarence Lampa and Jack Ford (2).
Noah Anderson won an incredible 9 events. This could well be an all-time record. Milly O’Kane (again) and Inanay Gilson both won a similarly staggering 8 events.
Others to amass multiple wins were Teo Valle (7), Bella Boulton (6), James Chisholm (6), Jack Ford (5), Tom Ford (5), Phoebe Bosley (4), Claire Christison (4), Paige-Lee Dummett (4), Clarence Lampa (4), Ava Penney (4), Ashton Ryan (4), Oskar McGahan (3) and Jada Ryan (3).
Several all-time Record Holders around town breathed a sigh of relief when last year’s record breakers Bella Boulton (100m, 200m, 400m) and Merlin Tzaros (1500m) ran into trouble.
Boulton was hampered by a leg injury shortly afterward. Tzaros, in the process of sprinting the unfamiliar distance of 800m, sadly injured a Gluteal muscle coming into the straight. He still only missed the record by 2 seconds, and likely had it smothered if not for the injury. This sadly forced him to forfeit his Trademark Event, the 1500m, in which the record was almost certain.
Despite both Champs not able to fire at full capacity yesterday, onlookers that witnessed them run are likely to forever remember the sight of two of our best of all time gliding along the grass so elegantly.
Lots of history was made which we will publish shortly with updated all-time Leader boards.
All winners of events will compete in Albury on 11th September at the Upper Hume level.
Thanks to all 200+ competitors, cheer squads, staff, our Prefects running the BBQ, and Wangaratta Little Athletics for the facilities.
Special thanks to Kev McGennan (photography) and especially Sandy “Newmo” Newman who organised and ran a massive and memorable event.
Photo uploads are limited here. For the full collection of 70+ photos, go to our Facebook page.
Jud Mullins
Sport Coordinator.
