SUPER-Bol!

Cheering on our national 'treasure'

It's impossible to estimate how many "likes", clicks, shares, tweets, TV and radio airtime and newspaper column inches were devoted this week to former St Norbert College student turned Olympian Peter Bol.

But one thing is for sure - almost all of the rolling coverage about the newly crowned national treasure contained mention of St Norbert College and the story of how Peter's running prowess emerged at Treasure Rd.

On the eve of the heats of the 800m men's event last Sunday, pictures and stories about how Peter starting running, almost by chance, for Prémontré  House spread like wildfire. Talkback radio hosts and sports writers picked up that one of his former teachers, Head of House Helen Leahy (nee Moore), and her late father Brian, were instrumental in shaping Peter's running career from when he was a Year 9 student in 2010 until today.

So, on Wednesday, after the NAIDOC Assembly and about 10 hours before his 8.05pm 800m Men's Final race in Tokyo, the College banded together to send "Super-BOL'' a loud and proud message from us all.

Led with perfect instruction by green-and-gold-scarf-wearing Mr Harvey and College Sports Captain Courtney Fitzgerald - with Channel 10 on the ORC Mezzanine - staff and students produced three minutes of video 'gold'.

"The Peter Bol experience is one to remember and I hope you, like me, feel an enormous sense of pride and excitement, Mr Harvey said. "Peter has numerous times espoused the importance of the support he has received from so many quarters and those who have a direct connection with him will know that St Norbert College and all of the staff here, past and present, are held in very high esteem. A wonderful story to be a part of.'' 

Mrs L Quartermain

(Community Relations and Marketing)