Grosvenor In View Magazine 2025

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over multiple disciplines. Dominik Lipowski and Jude Glover performed admirably in highly competitive fields and should be proud of how they performed, I know they will be back stronger next year and confident they can improve. Our Junior 4 x 100m relay team unfortunately missed out on a medal, but that should not detract from how impressive it is to be two-time Ulster relay champions; if the team sticks together and works to improve, I am confident they can achieve a medal at Irish standard in the future. I would like to congratulate Jude Glover and Noah Harper, who were selected to represent Ulster in the Tailteann Games, with Jude securing a Bronze, clearing 1.80m in the High Jump, and Noah battling to a valiant 7th position in a highly competitive 1500m race. Both Jude and Noah should be proud of their achievements representing their province at such a prestigious competition. It would be remiss of me to not mention the individual accolades of Ben Sykes, who yet again has outperformed our expectations for him. Ben continues to achieve accolade after accolade, all whilst being an extremely humble and approachable young man, who is always willing to help younger athletes where needed. Ben competed in the European Youth Olympic Festival in Skopje, North Macedonia, where he managed to win a Bronze medal with a time of 10.57s. An incredible performance in a stacked field, Ben continues to get better and better, all whilst studying for his GCSEs. To finish off an unforgettable summer, Ben was selected as a member of the Irish U20 4 x 100m Relay team. Ben deserves every accolade and tribute he receives, his dedication to the sport is an example for all to follow, and we eagerly await to see what the 2026 season has in store for him. My thanks to all of the athletes who attended afternoon sessions, whether they were picked for competitions or not, everyone showed excellent commitment and desire to improve and develop as athletes. Some of our most successful athletes in previous seasons have been those that were not initially picked for squads, but have stayed committed and worked hard to get their opportunity. I encourage all our pupils, regardless of medals or status, to keep this humble attitude they have shown, and continue to put the work in behind the scenes. Mr M McDowell

The season began with the District A Championships, with an impressive 17 medals secured alongside qualification for the Ulster Championships. For returning athletes with higher aspirations, the Districts can be a potential trip-hazard as their focus can often lie elsewhere. I was delighted with the maturity that our pupils showed on each competition day, ensuring that they achieved their objectives of qualification to the next phase of competition. Notable performances on the day included a double Gold medal from Dominik Lipowski in Shot Put and Discus, alongside an epic race between Milo Waring and James Shields in the 2000m Walk, with Milo showing just enough stamina to pip James at the line. Relay squads performed as expected, with the highlight being another Gold medal for the Senior 4 x 400m team who secured the title for the 3rd year in a row. The Ulster Schools’ Athletics Championships took place on a glorious sunny day at Mary Peters Track, and as always, it provided our pupils the opportunity to compete against the best athletes in the province. Every pupil who competed should be proud of their effort and the way in which they represented their school. Six medals were secured, with five of them being Gold. Jude Glover rose to the occasion to deliver a Gold medal in the Inter High Jump with a personal best performance, and out-jumping the rival that beat him to Gold in the District Championships. Dominik Lipowski also delivered a personal best performance to secure Gold in the Junior Discus, an immense achievement in his first year of competition. Jacob Cochrane and Noah Harper secured Gold medals in Junior Triple Jump and Inter 1500m, before our Junior Relay Team of Jacob Cochrane, Isaiah Erhabor, Jeydhel Cabuhal and Zayn Ahmed successfully defended their 4 x 100m Relay title against stiff competition from Wallace High School. Ben Sykes, managing injury, coasted to a Silver medal to ensure qualification for Irish Schools. The Irish Schools’ Athletics Championships brought a mixed day of weather, with wet and windy conditions being a factor early in the competition. Ben Sykes, now injury free, stormed to a Inter 100m Gold medal, defeating his closest rivals from across the country. Ben became the first Grosvenor athlete to successfully defend Irish 100m titles, a remarkable achievement. Jacob Cochrane entered the Championships confident, but a little unsure as to where his recent performances at triple jump would place him in the rankings. Jacob recorded a personal best on his way to an Irish Gold medal, all in his first year competing in the event, a remarkable achievement and it highlights his ability

GROSVENOR IN VIEW > 2024/25