Sprinting to the Finish – Aayushi Shrestha, Newstead Wood School

Braving the gloomy weather of the early morning, all the schools had already set up their bases in fields strewn with autumn leaves. The excitement of the children resounded with the various peg kits full of energy, and everyone was full of excitement. Hugs between teammates, star jumping, stretching, and more are all part of the many pre-race rituals.

Our starting point was by the Crystal Palace Tower and Grand Arch, the ruins of the historic Crystal Palace. Crowds of spectators waved their mobile phones and hoped to leave precious memories behind. When the chatter died down, an air of anticipation was left hanging. After a short silence, the starting gun rang out. Bolting like ecstatic bullets and striving for the best possible start, they fled far. The family caught in the fence cheers as the children are scattered like insects in the colony. One moment of silence, the next complete chaos.

An irregular heartbeat echoed among those who frantically rushed to different vantage points to find the stream of runners. A sense of pride and joy filled everyone’s hearts as the stream of runners passed by. Constant shouts of encouragement from teachers, classmates and family boosted the adrenaline levels to sprint through the last few meters. shouts flew around.

Siena, who was very excited to win a medal after a fantastic 4th place in the sixth grade girls’ race, said: She’s even faster… She’s in fourth place so it feels good.”

An awards ceremony was held at the end of the race. There was a trophy for the school with the most points overall and a medal for the top five winners of the individual races. Decorated with commemorative poppies, Mayor Bromley handed out prizes at the awards ceremony, and finally the bright sun emerged from behind the clouds.