Summer.  

The word immediately makes you think of lazy days outside sunbathing, all the great end-of-year school events, a gentle buildup to the summer holidays. Yet there is always something just as distinctive signalling the start of the season: the white paint laid onto the Front Field, heralding the growing cheer of Sports Day. 

For each individual, there’s events to suit every possible strength. Track events vary between fast-paced, 110% effort sprinting (100m, 200m and even 300m), and longer, more vigorous events such as the 400m, 800m, 1500m, or even 3000m. Field events feature completely different skills, like the high and long jump, which involve explosive leg power and precise timing. Other field events such as discus, shotput and javelin involve powerful arm strength, balance, and an immaculate amount of focus.

Over the space of just two weeks, sixty individual Inter-House Athletics events occurred, ranging from Year 7s all the way up to Year 13s. Year groups took their go at both A and B team events, racking up points for their House regardless of their place. Fun was had. Memories were shared, but above all, the pride in supporting a house shone brightly on the face of everyone taking part, no matter the event. 

Then came the moment we had all been waiting for. The final day, held on Friday 18th May 2026. For Y10s, Thursday 17th May 2026, met with just as much enthusiasm for their silver Duke of Edinburgh expedition. 

The number of events was so great that many were scheduled beforehand, starting bright and early from 10:30 am on the Front Field all the way to lunchtime. Events such as the 300m, 400m and 800m kicked off the day in rapid succession, with large numbers of non-participating students showing up to spectate and support their friends during morning break. Gradually, athletes’ bottles, tracksuit tops and Sports Day timetables began to take up House tents’ space. Catering set up the drinks and snacks shack for the afternoon. The scene was set. 

With the entire school dressing up in an assortment of colours representing their Houses, the Front Field was flooded with students by the time the Pipes and Drums Band proudly kicked off the opening ceremony. Successfully opening Sports Day to a thrilled crowd, students and parents alike settled down to watch the events unfold, as Mr Gullick began a fantastic commentary coverage. In addition, beside the House tents sat a string of enthusiastic teachers, counting scores and ensuring the accuracy of each event. 

Gordon’s School was – quite literally- off to the athletics races. 

Starting promptly at 1:15 pm, the 200m race began. Contestants blazed the trails of the tracks, which were followed by elated Houses screaming classmates’ names in support. Then the hotly contested 100m, where athletes and a surprising amount of fallen trainers…shot down the painted lanes all the way to the finish line. 

The final event of the day, the relays, introduced the element of mastering teamwork alongside skilful sprinting to students. The 4 x 400m event came first, bringing out the best in each year group’s runners. Then the 4 x 200m, a faster, much more desperate effort by each relay team to beat their competitors. Finally, the 4 x 100m event, the final blaze of glory for each House to take any further points before the finale. Relay batons jangled and clanked into each athlete’s striding hand, with just a quarter of the track, a single thrust of power, becoming enough to determine the winner for each year group.

As Sports Day wrapped up, tension was bursting at the seams of every tent on the field as results were announced. Silence filled the air, with every person waiting for who was to win or lose. Standing on the sidelines, proud parents watched expectantly. Students stilled. Teachers waited. 

To a deafening cheer by several Houses, it was announced that Woolwich had won the Inter-House Athletics cup overall. The Pipes and Drums triumphantly played once more in front of the Rec, whilst students cheered for each other and the closing ceremony wrapped up.

Sports Day 2026 was over. The future athletes of next year’s events began to wait expectantly, until their glorious day would come around again.

• Daniella