Shernice Thomas
The air was charged with screams, shouts and the banter of rival houses as St Augustine Girls' High School (SAGHS) held its annual Sports Day on February 24th. It was a fun-filled day enjoyed by all, as hundreds of students congregated on the school's football field to cheer on their fellow school-mates as they participated in various events. Even national cricketers Sherwin Ganga and Adrian Barath – who were the guest stars and March Past inspectors – were all smiles as they took in the day's proceedings. The day kicked off with a march past which saw the five houses (Beattie, Giuseppi, Lahouri, Mahase and Wagar) create a picturesque scene, as rows of marchers dressed in different shades of blue, yellow, red and white lined up. On the command of the parade instructor, the houses forged onto the field where they made their formations, followed by an 'eyes right' salute.
Although each house did its best to impress the judges, it was Beattie who marched off with the trophy, dethroning Lahouri who last held the title. Following the march past were a series of track races and fun events including a balloon relay, and the traditional 'lime and spoon' and four-legged races (to name a few). Members of the teaching staff weren't left out either, as they put their strengths to the test in their tug-of-war bout entitled 'The Bold and the Beautiful'. The students' Tug-of-War bout saw Giuseppi square off against Beattie. With countenances of sheer determination plastered on each face, athletes got ready to pull for their lives. At the sound of the horn both houses gave a huge heave in an attempt to off-balance the other, but Beattie kept their ground, pulling down their opponents. In the second pull, Giuseppi was not about to relinquish victory easily, as the two houses remained stationary for about 30 seconds. But in the end Giuseppi gave way, handing Beattie victory number two. Thanks to Aaliyah Gill (junior) and Shemaiah Clarke (intermediate), Beattie also secured two of the three 'Victress' awards which were given to the top athlete in each age category. Senior 'Victress' was awarded to Deeyonte Greene from Giuseppi. These three athletes received this top honour after speeding to gold in the 100m, 200m, 4 x 100m relay and the 'Devil takes the Hindmost' events.
These four awards handed Beattie the title of Overall Champion. Second and third positions were taken by Giuseppi and Mahase respectively. Although Lahouri stood at fourth overall, it did find some comfort in winning the 'Fun Cup' award for copping the most victories in the fun events. 'Chant Cup' winners and 'Most Disciplined' house, Wagar, placed fifth.
