Our pupils faster, higher, stronger
British School Al Khubairat pupils battled pouring rain and 26 other teams from around the world to take Cobis honours
ABU DHABI // Torrential rain could not stop the young athletes from the British School Al Khubairat defending their championship title at the Cobis Secondary Games in England last month.
The school and Dubai College were the only two British entries representing the UAE in Sheffield at the three-day sports challenge, involving 27 teams from 17 countries. They won first and second place.
“These kids are just a unique breed, they’re fantastic,” said Johnny Coombs, director of sport at the Abu Dhabi school. Mr Coombs said the Cobis games are “the biggest sporting competition” for British international schools.
To qualify for their teams, pupils had to excel in swimming, football and athletics.
“It is one of few multisport competitions around and allows for a good, competitive and physical challenge for the students across three disciplines,” said Meryl Cooper, physical education teacher at Dubai College.
“They compete in three full days of activity and prior to this they train for a months leading up to the weekend.”
Cobis stands for Council of British International Schools.
At the Abu Dhabi school, almost 60 pupils tried out for one of 14 places on the team, equally divided between girls and boys.
After making the cut the pupils, aged between 12 and 13, trained for about an hour five days a week before and after school, alternating between strength and conditioning.
“So we had a lot of 6am sessions in the morning,” said Helen Bowery, head of senior physical education at the Abu Dhabi school.
“They’re all very talented athletes and they’re really, really committed. We’ve treated them like elite athletes, and they’ve responded.”
The early morning and late afternoon drills paid off for both schools.
On the first day of competition, Dubai College took first place in the swimming races. Each swimmer had to compete in two individual events and in relays. The Abu Dhabi school came in second.
The second day brought heavy rain over the sports field for the athletics competitions, but it did not slow down the Abu Dhabi team’s fastest runner, Timi Esan, 13.
The aspiring professional football player was first across the finish line in the boys’ 100-metre and 200m races.
The British-Nigerian pupil also won first place in the long-jump, helping his school to build up enough points to take home the Athletics Cup.
“I’ve been here for eight years and this is my last year, so I just really wanted to do them proud,” said Timi, who competed in the rain for the first time.
“It was more challenging because some of us didn’t have spikes to run with.
“We had to control our balance. It was a really good experience. We still won.”
At the end of the three days, after his school was declared the over- all Champion Cup winner, Timi donated his 100m gold medal to the family of a pupil from another school who died only weeks before the event.
“I thought she deserved it,” Timi. “Silver and bronze wasn’t good enough. I thought gold was the best I could do.”
His headmaster Mark Leppard said he was proud of the pupils, staff and parents.
He commended their time, effort and commitment.
“It is an amazing achievement,” said Mr Leppard.
“We’re very strong regionally, but this is a massive test, because you genuinely don’t know the calibre of the teams coming in, you don’t know who you’re against.
“The tactics and all of that play into it, so you have to think on your feet in these tournaments.”