Around the Grounds

Diocesan Swimming Carnival

Just over three hundred students from the Diocesan primary and secondary schools competed at the first ever combined Diocesan Carnival on Friday 1st March . St Xavier's had 27 swimmers representing the school. We had many children break their personal best times, compete with big smiles and display fantastic sportsmanship throughout the day. 

We had a few students break the Armidale Diocesan Primary Swimming records:

St Xavier's Gunnedah Junior Boys Relay team (Lewis Mainey, Max Smith, Rafe Denovan, Banjo Fitzgerald) 2:27.21; the previous record was 2:33.30 held by St Joseph’s Walgett.

Josh Spinks broke the Boys 12-13 years 50m Breaststroke with 39.67; the previous record 42.03 held by Joe Yeomans (St Joseph’s Walgett)

Josh Spinks broke the Boys 11-13 years 200m Individual Medley record 2:43.91; the previous record 2:50.82 held by Jacob Smith (St Xavier’s Gunnedah).

Belle Nichols broke the Girls 9 year old 50m Freestyle with 36.37, the previous record 38.19 held by Alexis Whitton (St Xavier’s Gunnedah).

Banjo Fitzgerald broke the Boys 8-10 years 50m Butterfly with 36.73, the previous record 37.88 held by Josh Spinks (St Xavier’s Gunnedah)

2024 Diocesan Primary Champions & Runners Up

Junior Boy Champion: Banjo Fitzgerald (St Xavier’s Gunnedah)

Junior Boy Runner-up: Daniel Ivannikov (St Mary’s Armidale); Lewis Mainey (St Xavier’s Gunnedah) & Max Smith (St Xavier’s Gunnedah).

Junior Girls Champion: Matilda Ramien (St Xavier’s Gunnedah)

Junior Girls Runner-Up: Belle Nichols (St Xavier’s Gunnedah)

Senior Boy Champion: Josh Spinks (St Xavier's Gunnedah)

Senior Girls Champion: Hannah Akinyemi (St Xavier’s Gunnedah)

St Xavier's has 14 swimmers who have qualified for the Diocesan Team and will head to the NSWCPS Swimming Championships in Sydney on Wednesday, 3rd April.

Congratulations to: Jimmy Fitzgerald, Lewis Mainey, Banjo Fitzgerald, Max Smith, Rafe Denovan, Liam Smith, Charlie Mainey, Josh Spinks, Benjamin Rowley, Belle Nichols, Matilda Ramien, Pippa Wark, Hannah Akinyemi, Georgina Grimm.

Diocesan Winter Trials

Last Friday, 8th March, 23 students from Year 6 attended the Diocesan Winter Trials in Tamworth. They participated in Trials for Netball, Soccer and Rugby League.

Congratulations to Cooper Ross and Josh Spinks who were selected in the Diocesan Soccer Team. Charlie Mainey, Tom Smallwood and Leo Henry were successful in gaining selection into the Diocesan Rugby League Team.

These students will now participate as members of the Diocesan Teams at the Polding Trials to be held on Friday 3rd May.

Infants Cross Country

All infants students (Kinder - Year 2) will be participating in the Infants Cross Country on Wednesday 10th April at 9.00am at Kitchener Oval. Parents are welcome to come. 

Any student in Year 2 who is turning 8 in 2023 is eligible to run in the competitive Primary Cross Country (2km). This will be held on Friday 12th April at 9.00 am. This event will also be at Kitchener Oval. This is optional for 8 year olds in Year 2 and you will be able to nominate your child on the Compass Event Consent Form.

 If your 8 year old child runs in the Primary Cross Country, they will still run in the Infants Cross Country.

Primary Cross Country

The Primary Cross Country will be held on Friday 12th April at Kitchener Oval. Please note this is a new venue. Due to safety concerns the decision was made to relocate the Cross Country and we will be following the same Cross Country format as St Mary's College. Parents are welcome to attend.

In the Primary Cross Country, the first six girls and the first six boys in each age group (8/9, 10, 11, 12, 13) will progress to the Diocesan Cross Country to be held on Friday 17th May in Barraba.