Panathlon Challenge

August 2004

• Bristol - National Panathlon Champions 2006!

  Posted: Friday 6th August 2004
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  The National final of the 2006 Panathlon Challenge produced new and worthy champions in St. Bede’s RC. School, Bristol. It is the fourth time the school has reached the national final, but the first time they have won it, so congratulations to the pupils of St. Bede’s.
  
  In a day packed with drama they overcame their nearest rivals, Plymstock School, Plymouth, by a hairs breadth. Both teams finished equal on 88 points, Bristol winning on the count back, Panathlon’s equivalent of the penalty shoot out in football.
  
  The drama began before the competition got underway. Hackney Free Sports College from London, the current champions, were sadly unable to attend because their coach firm let them down. The pupils were at the school at 5 am., ready to make the journey to Liverpool, but because of the non attendance of the coaches they were unable to make it. This left the 4 other regional winners to battle it out for the big prize. The other schools were Corpus Christi High School School, Leeds and a combined team from De La Salle and St. John Bosco schools in Liverpool.
  
  After a full day of superb sports competition covering 11 different sports, it came literally down to the last race to decide the 2006 champs. After the race, St. Bede’s and Plymstock were still neck and neck so the count back came into operation.
  
  Vince Curnock, Head of PE. in St. Bede’s says “We are delighted to win the national competition in 2006. Credit to Plymstock and the other schools for making the competition so tough. We are very pleased also to have been awarded the Fair Play trophy. This is an important part of the event and of our own approach to sport”
  
  Ashley Iceton, the event organiser says “This is definitely the closest finish we have ever had to a national final. It shows the competition is getting tougher, but well done to all the schools for making it so, and for competing in such a spirit of sportsmanship and fair play.”
  
  The organisers are grateful to Liverpool City Council, who kindly funded the event, and to John Moores University, who graciously lent their sports facilities at I. M. Marsh College, and some very enthusiastic students to help run it.

• Hackney Free pedigree shows through in 2004 Panathlon Challenge Final

  Posted: Friday 6th August 2004
  Category:

  In a pulsating finale to the 2004 Panathlon Challenge school sports competition, Hackney Free School showed their pedigree to fine effect by winning the event and retaining their National title.
  
  Over 600 pupils from the 5 participating schools took part, creating a tremendous atmosphere in the National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace as the finals reached a crescendo in the afternoon with the deciding event, the indoor athletics.
  
  HRH, The Earl of Wessex, was in attendance as guest of honour. As well as meeting the team captains from each school, he helped to hand out the trophies and medals at the end of the day. The winners amassed a total of 104 points, 24 more than their nearest rivals, St. Bede’s School in Bristol.
  
  Commenting on the victory, Adrian Mullis, Deputy Head of Hackney Free said “This was a tough contest, but our pupils came out on top because they love Panathlon so much. The opportunities it presents to involve so many pupils in active sport are just fantastic. It is an integral part of our school inclusion programme.”
  
  Sebastian Coe, Chairman of London 2012 said “The Panathlon Challenge is a fantastic event which gives young people an opportunity to get involved in sport and physical activity. This is vital for the health of the nation, and I hope that some of the young people competing will go on to be Olympic champions in London in 2012.”
  
  The Leeds team won the Fair Play trophy which was much deserved.
  
  Notes to Journalists
  The results this year were:-
  Hackney Free School 104 points
  St. Bede’s Catholic School, Bristol 80
  Morpeth School, Tower Hamlets 76
  Alsop Technology College, Liverpool 56
  Corpus Christi Catholic College, Leeds 44

• Hackney Free Sports College crowned National Panathlon champions 2005

  Posted: Friday 6th August 2004
  Category:

  On the day the Olympic Games came to London, Hackney Free Sports College were crowned National Panathlon champions 2005, thus retaining the title they have held for the past 3 years.
  
  It was very close going in to the athletics, but it was at this point where the athletic excellence of the Hackney team came to the fore. With supreme grace and skill they powered through to win by six points from their nearest rivals, Abbs Cross School, Havering on 84 points, who were competing in the final for the first time. St. Bede’s, Bristol, also came close, finishing third, on 72 points, followed by Alsop, Liverpool (58) and Corpus Christi, Leeds on 52.
  
  Ashley Iceton, the event’s Administrator said “A double victory for Sport yesterday, at both ends of the spectrum. The biggest sporting event on earth is coming to London and at the heart of that area is Hackney, and their young residents showed what the Olympics and Panathlon are all about - high levels of sporting performance competed for with the best levels of Fair Play possible. Hackney Free should be proud on both fronts.”
  
  A special award went to Corpus Christi High School, Leeds, who were adjudged to have been the most sporting team on the day, and carried off the prestigious Panathlon Fair Play Award. The whole Panathlon Challenge sporting ethos is based on fair play.
  
  A new award was set up this year in honour of Mark Barker, the founder of the Panathlon Challenge, who sadly passed away in October 2004. In his honour, the Mark Barker Fair Play Award has been established. It will be awarded to the school or pupil who in the opinion of the judges has done the most during the whole year to live up to the Panathlon ideals of fair play. We are very pleased to announce the inaugural winner is Stephen McMahon of Hackney Free Sports College, whose activities in both organising and participating in the school cycling team have seen him recognised by his fellow pupils and teachers as a true Fair Play Panathlete.