From the Starting Blocks to the Finish Line
Director of Sport, Paul Geddes and Archivist, Christine Hodgkinson revisited swimming and athletics carnival records across the decades.
In the Pool
The inaugural swimming carnival was held at the Gosford Olympic Pool on Monday 4 March 1985, with Nicholii the eventual winners after a close fought battle with Acacia.
Our two longest standing swimming records have remained undefeated for over 30 years:
Anna Windsor (Ironbark, 1993) holds the girls 16yrs 50m freestyle record with a time of 27.63. Not surprising, she went on to win a gold medal in the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada, placed sixth in the 4 x 100M freestyle in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and a won gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia.
Andrew Brand (Nicholii, 2004) current CCGS Board Member, parent and rugby coach, holds the Kindergarten boys 50M freestyle record with a time of 51.18. Kindergarten times are no longer recorded, but Andrew still has a phenomenal 11 other records that are still standing! Our newest record breaker, Isaac Yeo, (Nicholii, Year 11) recorded his second record this year, breaking Andrew Brand’s 2002 16s boys butterfly record with a time of 27.53. One to watch for the future.
On the Track
Our first athletics carnival was held on Friday 26 July 1985 in superb weather at Adcock Park, with Ironbark taking out the honours.
Seniors
The longest standing senior field event records date from 1986, 39 years ago, when Lisa Reddie (Grevillea, 1991) jumped 1.35m in the 12yrs girls high jump, and Grant Greenwood (Ironbark, 1991) jumped 4.71m in the 12yrs boys long jump.
Some of our longest-standing senior track records still contested are in the 100m sprint. Michelle O’Connor (Ironbark, 2000) set a time of 13.92 in the 12-year girls’ division back in 1997, while Owen Martin (Ironbark, 2005) holds two enduring records: 11.69 in the 14-year boys’ race in 2001 and an impressive 11.07 in the 15-year boys’ event in 2002.
The senior competitor with the most athletics records still standing is outstanding sports rounder Aidan Cranney (Grevillea, 2009), with 11 records dating 2004 – 2008, across 100m, 200m, 400m, javelin and high jump events.
Juniors
The longest standing junior field records date from our first decade, when Jarrod Smith (Ironbark, 1990) threw 8.60m in the 8yrs boys shot put in 1986, and Fiona Pollock (Nicholii, 1998) jumped 1.10m in the 9yrs girls high jump event in 1990.
The longest-standing junior track records are a proud part of Acacia’s legacy, all set during our very first athletics carnival in 1985. Jenny Henstock (Acacia, 1994) blazed through the 8-year girls’ 800m with a time of 3:09.20, a benchmark that still stands today.
In 1990, Jeremy Foot (Acacia, 2001) and Trent Barrett (Acacia, 2000) etched their names into the record books with enduring performances in the Year 1 and Year 2 boys’ 100m, clocking 17.70 and 16.55 seconds respectively.
The title of most junior athletics records still standing is shared by two exceptional competitors. Alexander Herford (Nicholii, 2017) claimed three records in the 100m and 200m events across Years 10 and 12 between 2009 and 2011.
Meanwhile, swimming standout Andrew Brand set the pace on land too, holding three lasting records in the 200m and 400m races for Years 1 and 2, dating back to 1993 and 1994.
International Success
Over the past 15 years, CCGS athletes have seen their greatest success on the national and international stage in the 800m track event. Robert Dredge (Grevillea, 2012) placed first in the 17yrs at All Schools Track & Field in 2011, Georgia Wassall (Nicholii, 2013) took gold at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in 2013 breaking a 2005 record, and Charlie Hunter (Grevillea, 2014) won a scholarship at Oregon University in 2018 and went on to represent Australia in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, making the semi-final race. Charlie’s senior 400m, 800m and 1,500m records still stand, unbeaten since 2014.
Head of Sport, Paul Geddes, reflected on these achievements, “Congratulations to all participants, winners and record holders over the years, and the coaches and families who have supported them along the way. Whether you get involved in cocurricular sport for fun, fitness, friendship or high-level competition, there’s an opportunity for everyone to reach their personal best and excel at national and international level,” he said. There’s an opportunity for more records to tumble at the upcoming athletics carnival in August where newest Houses Banksia (2020) and Hakea (2025) have a great opportunity to write themselves into history.
