During the school day, twenty-eight selected Year 8 & 9 students were treated to a Q&A and a shot put session with this year’s Guest of Honour, Sophie McKinna. Sophie is a Norfolk born, British athlete specialising in the track and field sport of shot putting and became the British Indoor and Outdoor Shot Put Champion in 2019. Students and staff were astonished to see Sophie’s PB throw of 18.61m measured out.

Later on in the evening, the celebrations commenced with a fantastic ballet and tap-dance performance, followed by seven of the school’s Sports Young Ambassadors took to the stage for a motivating introduction, giving particular reference to the theme of ‘maximising opportunity to discover tomorrow’.

Sophie McKinna then spoke to the room about her career highs - throwing a personal best of 18.61m at the World Championships in Doha and how she become the first British woman in 36 years to reach a world shot put final, which helped secure her qualification for Tokyo 2020. She also told the audience about the low point in her career, when she dislocated her knee in the build-up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and how she overcame the injury.

I really did enjoy the evening and the workshops. Everyone was so receptive and enthusiastic, which makes my job much easier. I would love to continue a partnership with the school. Seeing how passionate staff and students are about sport really inspired me and also helps me remember why I love what I do so much!

- sophie mckenna, british shot put champion

All student nominees for the evening received a certificate, while winners received a glass trophy or prism.

 

Main Award winning students received a silver salver and wooden plaque

 

The PE Department would publicly like to thank all those within the local community who supported and sponsored the evening, including: Peelings Coaches, Holkham Estate, The Bowling Green Inn, JD Coaching, Hayes & Storr Solicitors, Christine H Hardman Ltd, Charlotte’s Sharks, The Flying Kiwi Inns, Fakenham Garden Centre and Fakenham and District Table Tennis League.

The PE Department would also like to thank The Wensum Trust, the school’s Leadership Team and our governors. “They understand our subject and recognise the importance that PE and sport has on the lives of young people. Fortunately PE here is considered to be on a level playing field alongside other subjects, which is not the case in many schools and certainly helps to make a number of our sporting achievements possible.”