Earlier in the week that led up to the 2014 Horizon Sports Day on October 10, Typhoon 19 threatened to cancel proceedings, but nothing could dampen the spirit of the Horizon School community!
On the actual day, no rain fell, and the weather was perfect — there was a gentle breeze and not a cloud in the sky. Hakuho Girls’ High School generously allowed the Horizon community to hold its annual sports day on their grounds, and what a magnificent venue it was! The huge, quiet, and overwhelmingly empty green court soon became transformed into a tightly packed red and grey arena of running, jumping, screaming, and cheering.
The sports day included a huge range of events, from ball gathering for the pre-schoolers, to commando-style obstacle courses for the higher grades. The variety of events ensured that there were games and races appropriate for all age groups, and having them evenly spread out over the course of the day meant that everyone was on the edge of their seats waiting for the next event.
To enhance the spirit of competition, the student body was split evenly into two teams: red and grey. These two teams were then pitted against one another in each of the events. The first race was a highly charged whole-school relay, starting with the pre-schoolers and progressing all the way up to the grade 12 students. With all of the school’s students involved, it was a hard-fought battle, as the leading runner changed colours regularly. The cheering from both sides was like a tempestuous sea, and huge deficits were quickly remedied by speedy legs and determined hearts, much to the delight of teammates. The roaring became louder and louder and set the scene for a wonderful day of fun. — SELIM SONMEZ
