Mundaring Christian College (MCC) Primary students have been busy donning their faction colours and completing the Cross-Country run recently, despite the threat of inclement weather up in the hills of Perth.
The sight of Mr Doug Holtam (Principal – Mundaring Christian College) on the sidelines chatting with parents and grandparents was all that the young students needed to run personal best (PB) times through the undulating terrain, with many students wearing colourful zinc sunscreen to denote their factional colours.
The Cross-Country event brought many spectators and teachers out for a morning of sub-twenty-degree temperatures and big smiles as students (and teachers!) ran the track at the campus on Walker Street, Mundaring.
The sporting success at MCC seems to be contagious, with the Paris 2024 Olympics this week capturing the hearts and minds of young people across Australia each night as they tune in to see their favourite athletes and teams compete for their respective countries.
Some viewers may have noticed exuberant athlete Mrs Nicola Olyslagers (nee McDermott), who won a silver medal in the Women’s High Jump in the early hours of Monday morning.
Olyslagers, who rose to prominence in the Tokyo Olympics by writing in her journal after each attempt at the high jump and openly praising God in her post-event interviews, had more positive words for the Channel 9 cameras this year.
After winning the silver medal (the gold was won by Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh), Olyslagers spoke to the gathered media about her optimism and her positive mentality when tackling the 2.00 metre height of the bar:
“I hope that people see this joy that I have because the joy of the Lord is my strength,” said Olyslagers after the completion drew to a close.
When asked about her pre-jump routines on Channel 9 the next morning, Olyslagers commented, “I have a faith that doesn’t shrink away from pressure, but rises to it.”
