KNYSNA NEWS - Oakhill School is proud to announce that a Prep pupil has placed seventh in the country for shot put with a new Western Cape record of 10.7m!

Grade 6 learner Hannah Bridge achieved this fantastic result at the SA National Athletics Championship in Paarl on the weekend of 16 to 18 March. 

She had been climbing up the ranks since her younger years, and this year she shot the lights out with some exceptional shot put distances at both the Eden District Athletics Championships in Oudtshoorn in February and Western Cape Athletics trials in Oudtshoorn earlier this month. 

This earned her a place in the Eden and Western Province athletics teams –the first time in Oakhill's history that a Prep student has represented Western Province in athletics, receiving WP colours.

Hannah Bridge is a shot put ace, receiving her provincial colours this month. Photos: Supplied

Two other junior athletes, Chanelle Barnard (Grade 7) and Coel Trollip (Grade 5) also represented the Eden Athletics team obtaining their SWD/Eden colours when they participated in the Western Cape Athletics meet from 2 to 4 March in Oudtshoorn, where they both achieved their personal bests in the 1 500m run for Chanelle and in long jump for Coel.

Oakhill College had a strong contingent of athletes participating in the KPSSSU meeting at Knysna High School earlier this year, where four athletes went through to the next round in Oudtshoorn. 

Here two athletes were chosen to represent the Eden Athletics team: John Tanner (Grade 9) and Charné de Wet (Grade 11) obtained their SWD/Eden colours.

Charné and John went on to participate in the Western Cape trials in Paarl where they both took part in the 100m and 200m sprints. As with the other Oakhill athletes, they achieved personal bests. 

John also made the finals and placed sixth for both 100m, where he broke 12sec, and for 200m, where he ran a 24sec flat!

Another College student, Josie Bebington (Grade 8) has also excelled in a different field of athletics – biathlon. 

Josie Bebbington is a biathlete to watch, making it through to the SA championship.

Josie earned her place in the u15 SWD Biathlon team and competed in the interprovincial championship in Oudtshoorn on 6 March. 

She won a silver medal in her age category and goes on to participate in the SA Biathlon champs in Pretoria on the 31 March.

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