All roads led to Coetzenburg last Thursday (20 February) for the
annual girls’ school 4M battle.
This year’s edition of the athletic competition was hosted by Rhenish Girls’ High School. The 34th edition of the competition coincided with Rhenish’s 165th birthday and saw Paarl Girls’ High School (PGHS), Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof, and La Rochelle Girls’ High School take to the track and field.
The girls showcased incredible displays of athletic excellence, sportsmanship and school pride.
Among the top achievers on the day was Rhenish’s Nicola van der Merwe, who took the trophy for best under-17 field athlete the day after she had broken the 4M record with a 48,99 m throw.
Various other records were broken this year: Lache Haas (under-14) of PGHS made it into the 4 m record books with a 5,25 m long jump. Janke de Necker (under-15) helped her school clinch the trophy with a 1,68 m high jump along with her schoolmates Skyler van Dyk (under-19) and Lara Stander (under-15), who broke records in triple jump and the 1 500 m race respectively.
In the 90 m hurdles Annemie du Plessis (under-14) did Bloemhof proud by setting the new 13,34-second record. Marianne Malan (under-17) set a record in high jump with a 1,68 m jump.
Ashley Thomas (under-15) of Rhenish set a 10,36 m record in the triple jump and schoolmate Nicole van der Merwe (under-17) threw a 48,99 m javelin throw on the field to set a new record.
Paarl Girls walked away with the top trophy with its 578 point win.
Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof took second place with 372 point, followed by La Rochelle with 275 points, and the host school raking up 145 points.
Rhenish school thanked athletes, staff, parents, coaches, officials, supporters and sponsors for the event’s success.
