SPORTS day got off to a flying start when a pupil broke a 27-year-old record in the very first event of the day, a major boost towards her Olympic dreams.
Barnard Castle Preparatory School pupil Elsie Smith took almost half a second off the 200m time which was set in 1999.
The Year 6 athlete, of Darlington, also knocked eight seconds off the 800m record, a distance she hopes one day to run in the Olympics. The previous record of 2.50 was set 22 years ago.
“I want to be the next Keely Hodgkinson when I am older,” said Elsie, 10, who is a Darlington Harrier. “I was so excited and encouraged when I broke the school records which were set all those years ago. I’d love to compete in the Olympics one day, like Keely.”
A host of other records also tumbled at both Prep School and Senior School sports days which attracted hundreds of friends, families and guardians for a spectacle of athletics.
Director of Prep sports Martin Burgess said: “I don’t think we have had a sports day where so many records were broken.”
Pupils battled it out on the track and field for the pride of their school houses bringing another successful year to a close.
Children from Reception class to Year 13 took part in a variety of sports, ranging from sprints, relays and long distance races to high, long and standing jumps, throwing, javelin, discus and tug of war.
Athletes were awarded points depending on their placings and at Prep School the overall Queen’s Cup went to Grenville House.
Prep School headmistress Laura Turner said: “This is always a very special occasion as pupils exhibit their incredible sporting talents while demonstrating the values that are important to us – sportsmanship, teamwork, determination and perseverance, as well as spirit, resilience and camaraderie.”
Barnard Castle School headmaster David Cresswell added: “There can be few better ways to bring a school year to a close than a Barney sports day. It captures the spirit of the school so well – competitive yet supportive, ambitious yet full of good humour – all rooted in a strong sense of community.”
