THOUGH the weather wasn't kind for the inaugural Oxley College kindergarten-Year 6 athletics carnival, it didn't dampen the spirits of 143 very excited students. The students in Years 2-6 participated in a full schedule of events as programmed by the HICES (Heads of Independent Co-Educational Schools) association. All students were encouraged to participate in every event. Kindergarten and Year 1 students participated in the long jump, turbo javelin and the 100 metre sprint. Though the excellent participation rate meant that all the events could not be completed on the day, the dedicated Year 3-6 teachers ran the events over the following days to ensure the representative teams could be announced and ribbons and results could be finalised. Age champions and runners-up were presented with medals at the weekly assembly and Flynn house was announced as the first Oxley College K-6 athletics house champions. Forty-four students will represent Oxley College at the HICES Carnival, which will be held at Sydney Olympic Park on Tuesday (September 4). The weather was the opposite for the Year 7-12 carnival. The sun shone, the blue sky dazzled and a gentle breeze blew as Oxley College enjoyed the best weather for an athletics carnival in recent history. The students embraced the conditions with record participation in the track events. Music pumped from the centrally located communication centre in the middle of the oval, which added to the atmosphere. Students showed allegiance to their house by adorning themselves in their house colours and ensuring they all scored points towards the house championship. Though at times the point score was close, Oodgeroo pulled away and were announced champion house at assembly on Tuesday. The Oxley athletics captains, Campbell Harvey and Georgia Matthews, were joined at the assembly by their mothers, Gayle Harvey and Heidi Matthews, who presented the age champions medals. Only one individual record was broken on the day. Gabriella Taylor-Helme broke the 12-13 years hurdles record in a time of 14.91 seconds. One-hundred-and-nine students have been selected to compete at two invitational carnivals in preparation for the ISA Carnival on Tuesday, September 11. Alicia Brain and Harry Jenson were the 8-10 years champions, Sascha Binder and Hunter Hayes the 11 year champions and Romy Healey and Romain Antich the 12 years and over champions for the kindergarten to Year 6 carnival. In the senior carnival, Lauren Barnes and Louis Connell were the 12 years champions, with Gabriella Taylor-Helme and Jenson Barker the 13 years champions. Jamie Binder and Elliot Matthews took out the 14 years champions title, Zoe Binder and Zac Moran the 15s champions while Gabrielle Abbot and Jack Northall were the 16 years champions. In the 17 years age group, Mikala Veyerman and Duncan Meaney were crowned champions while Georgia Matthews and Campbell Harvey were the open champions.