By Hermione So

“Ready…Set …” All RCHK students heard these words ring out many times on Thursday, 16th March 2023 at the Ma On Shan Sports Ground.

The Athletics Carnival finally made its return to RCHK after years of cancellation due to COVID-19. Instead of staying at home, being emotionless and motionless, students could finally break free from the prison of Zoom.

The Athletics Carnival is essentially Sports Day, where students compete in various races against each other. Races were separated into three categories: Jumps, Runs, and Throws. There were the high jump and the long jump, in addition to the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m run events, as well as the javelin, discus, and shot put throw events. Each event was separated into another three groups: Junior, Intermediate, and Senior. Junior was for Years 7 and 8, Intermediate was for Years 9 and 10, and lastly, Senior was for Years 11, 12, and 13. There was a separate division for males and females. All students were offered Physical Health and Education periods to practice events in order to perform their best on the day. 

For individuals who were motivated to score additional points for their house, there was also a spot designated for the "Drop In Point Scorers" Challenge, also known as the DIPS Challenges. These activities included vertical jumps, plank holds, pull-ups, and press-ups. Within the specified time, students were welcome to show up and take them on. Throughout the course of the lunch break, a tug of war was held. It was a small competition going on between Tang, Ming, Song, and Qing. 

There were also more remarkable and unique races, such as a 4 × 100m relay race in which teachers from each house competed against one another. Teachers of various departments, such as Mr Stephan Miller, Mr Sam Nicoleson, served as the relay's anchors and ran rapidly. Some students described them as "Usain Bolt", with Athletics Carnival director Mr Smith winning. There was tension in the air. Students were cheering and looking forward to discovering who would come first. The last event of the day was a 4 x 100m mascot relay in which students in Year 13 competed while dressed in a variety of bizarre costumes, such as shark inflatables, tiny cardboard cars, floppy suits and more. They all entered the finish line as a group of 4.

Due to the closure of the kiosk at the Ma On Shan Sports Ground on that particular day, teachers urged students to pack snacks, lunch, sunscreen, water bottles, and caps. Nonetheless, in order to keep energy levels up throughout the day, a group of students held a bake sale where snacks, such as muffins, popcorn, and lollipops were sold.

 Dr Harry Brown, the school principal praises, “[The] Secondary Athletics Carnival was a record success. Thank you to Athletics Director Mr Nick Sherriff-Smith, Head of Physical Health and Education Mr Lee Burns, and the rest of the PHE team for working tirelessly in the preparation and implementation of this large-scale event. Special congratulations also go to the House Directors, Secondary staff, and students for committing themselves to a range of sports games and keeping energy levels at an all-time high!”

There was a lot of tension and intensity in every race. Strong yells, loud laughter, and even tears could be observed all across the Sports Ground. First aid kits were used several times. At the winning gate, there were vomiters. The members of each house received applause. People began to lose their voices. 

“2023 Athletics Carnival was a success. I thought the ‘DIPS’ challenges were a great addition, and I saw a lot of students pushing themself to their limits, as well as challenging teachers. One of the most enjoyable moments has to be the tug of war. Tang students and teachers worked together to secure 2 wins!” exclaimed Selena Wong, a Tang house captain. 

With Qing securing second place, the Qing house captains, Leanne Tse, Eva Gilbert, Rumi Nanwani and Harsha Madhu, said delightedly, “Can't wait for next year. Thank you all Qingers for making this Athletics Carnival as Qing-tastic as possible!” 

Not everyone experienced the delight and excitement though. Many individuals complained about the alarming smell of unclear substances, loud music from personal speakers, and disorganised schedules.

“It was rather unorganised, especially near the end when they told us to return to school to find our advisors when most of them hadn’t come back. They should have allowed us to leave [home] from the Sports Ground instead,” Anonymous said, in an irritated manner. “But it was OK I guess. The vibes can never compare to Sports Day at local schools, but it was better than what I had expected.”

“I’m glad that rubbish was picked up and thrown away to guarantee that the stadium was clean and returned in the same condition at the end of the day. I’m sure the proprietors of the sports field were appreciative of it,” Anonymous added.

“I ran so fast at the athletic carnival because I was rushing to go to the bathroom. Hence, when I won, I was honestly really surprised, but very delighted,” An anonymous winner from the female intermediate race commented. “Despite that, the athletic carnival was really, really fun. I enjoyed it a lot, especially when the relay took place.”

Lorraine Ng, female winner of the intermediate 800m race said, “Well, I did not expect it because the other competitors are really talented and great, but it was good to accomplish it with everyone else. It was a great atmosphere overall.”

With the Athletics Carnival coming to an end, Ming secured an overall 48 points, ranking first out of the four houses. Qing finished with 29 points, Song with 15 points, and Tang trailing behind with 14 points. The day passed quickly for some people but slowly for others. Everyone was completely worn out, even the teachers. Will the school make improvements in response to the complaints? The outcome of the next Athletics Carnival will decide this.