Jeppe Boys High ignites Germiston Stadium with annual athletics invitational

Jeppe Boys High School lit up the Germiston Stadium as they hosted their annual Invitational Meeting, bringing together local schools for a thrilling showcase of athletic talent.

With the season fast approaching, invited schools accepted the challenge to test their athletes’ strength and readiness across a range of track and field events.

Parktown Boys’ High School, St Benedict’s College, and Fourways High School were among the schools that took part in the competition alongside Jeppe Boys High School.

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Leading the event was Kevin Keogh, Jeppe Boys’ Athletics Master in Charge (MIC), who spoke briefly to the media about the importance of athletics within the school’s sporting programme.

Keogh highlighted the strong interest in the sport, noting that many athletes transition from other codes.

“Athletics usually attracts a large number of boys,” he said.

“Athletes from other sports cross over and use this platform to prepare for the season. Running activates the whole body and helps them build overall fitness.”

He added that rugby and soccer players often excel in athletics due to their natural speed.

“The talent speaks for itself. The discipline they learn on the track also carries through to the classroom,” said Keogh.

Keogh emphasised Jeppe’s goal of producing more provincial athletes, citing previous successes in disciplines such as the high jump.

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“Many of our athletes achieve personal bests in their first year. That reflects the quality of our training and preparation and gives them a huge confidence boost.”

Keogh is a qualified high jump coach, holding an ASA Level 1 certification in the discipline.

Track and field is one of the oldest sporting codes at Jeppe Boys High School.

The interhouse athletics competition, now known as the Dudley Wallendorf Shield, has been running for 100 years, highlighting the school’s long-standing tradition of athletics.

“The athletics programme takes place in the first and fourth terms,” Keogh said.

“It involves the school’s top athletes, who are given opportunities to compete in inter-school meetings, culminating in trials for the Gauteng provincial teams and the national championships,” said Keogh.