From the Head of Sport
By Mr Jim Potts
Interhouse Track and Field Carnival
The first week of term kicked off with a bang with the College coming together for the annual Interhouse Track and Field Carnival. Students and staff were treated to a magnificent winter's day, with brilliant sunshine providing perfect conditions for competition.
The standard of performance across all age groups was extremely encouraging, with several athletes producing results that suggest they will be strong contenders at the upcoming AIC Track and Field Championships. The enthusiasm, participation and House spirit on display throughout the day were a credit to everyone involved.
One of the highlights of the carnival is always the prestigious Brother Col Fitzgerald Gift Race, the blue-ribbon event that determines the title of the fastest student in the College. Year 9 student Travis O'Connor (pictured) successfully defended his crown, claiming victory for the second consecutive year and cementing his status as one of the College's fastest sprinters.
The overall House Championship produced one of the closest finishes in recent memory, with the final result not decided until the last race of the day.
In the Senior Medley Relay, Quane House Captain Sam Noud (pictured centre along with fellow House Captains Alex O'Malley and Lewis Tatti) received the baton in first place and held a substantial lead over Kaleb Arop (pictured). What followed was an extraordinary performance from Kaleb, who produced the race of his life to chase down the deficit. Running a remarkable 400m leg in approximately 52 seconds, he surged past the field to secure victory for Xavier House.
Despite being overtaken, Sam battled bravely to finish second. Those valuable points proved decisive, giving Quane House the overall House Championship by a narrow margin of just eight points ahead of Xavier House.
Congratulations to all students who competed and represented their Houses with such pride and determination.
AIC Golf Championship
The 2026 AIC Golf Championships brought together a full field of secondary teams from all eight AIC member Colleges, along with AIC Guest College Ambrose Treacy College, at Keperra Country Golf Club last week.
While the course was presented in outstanding condition, Mother Nature ensured the day would be a true test of golf. Strong winds made every single shot a challenge, placing a premium on patience, course management and consistency.
Each year, teams compete for two prestigious shields: the Balharry Shield, awarded to the Secondary Team Nett Champions, and the Team Gross Shield, presented to the team recording the lowest gross score of the day.
The team championships are contested by teams of five golfers, with the best four scores counting towards the overall team total in both the Nett and Gross competitions.
The St Patrick’s College team (pictured below left to right - Matthys Visser, William Miles, Alfred Kelly, Aydan McGuire, Oliver Ayres, Sebastian Traves and Bailey Hancock) finished a very creditable fourth place in both the Team Nett and Team Gross Championship.
The individual championships once again showcased the exceptional standard of golf within the AIC competition. St Patrick’s College managed to win both the Senior and Primary Individual Gross Championships.
The Secondary Gross Championship was won by Matthys Visser, who successfully defended the title he won in 2025 and 2024. Matthys produced a superb round of 72 to finish four shots clear of the field.
In the Primary Individual Competition, Oliver Ayres completed a dominant performance by winning both the Gross and Nett Championships. Alfred Kelly finished runner-up in both events.
With many of the team returning next year, St Patrick’s College is in a good position to challenge for the overall team title. Well done team for your exceptional representation and for continuing to Fight The Good Fight.
