They're tough at St Johns Hill

Sport Wanganui event manager True grit saw 51 St Johns Hill school pupils crawl, clamber, and climb their way to success in the junior section of the Mitre 10 Mega Tough Kids Challenge.

Organiser of the St Johns entries, Silene Flintoff, said when the pupils descended on Cooks Gardens to compete in the challenge organised by Sport Wanganui, they had one thing on their mind: "To be the toughest kid!"

"Although it was a dark and dreary day, these kids toughed out the fun and strenuous course with 24 other primary schools. With most of individual races having anything from 180 to 200 competitors, each race started at a frenetic pace, as they jostled to get in the best possible position to take on the arduous course ahead of them. Crawling under camo nets, climbing over mountains of tyres, clambering to fit through small spaces, running through a huge blown up obstacle course and running up a steep hill were just a few of the obstacles they had to get through," she said.

Sport Wanganui event manager Rachel O'Connor said 1200 youngsters took part in the December 7 event, from 25 schools.

"This wonderful day would not have been made possible without the wonderful volunteers who helped out on the day and the contribution we received from the community."

Principal Michael Fitzgerald said he was proud of the way the St Johns Hill students competed.

"The St Johns Hill entrants will take great pride in knowing that they contributed to being awarded 2012 Mitre 10 Mega Toughest School in the junior division. And congratulations also to St Georges School who took out the Toughest Senior School award."

The pupils from St John's Hill that competed were: Dillon Adrole, Kara Adrole, Adam Beard, Phoebe Bell, Fraser Bellis, Joshua Bleackley, Maia Brausch, Josh Brunger, Tayla Brunger, Ethan Cohen, Nathan Cohen, Blake Cooper, Emily Cooper, Sophie Dinwiddie, Ashleigh Edwards, Ben Emmerson, Jaden Falconer, Jorja Fink, Kenny Flintoff, Hunter Gibson, Tayla Hawira, Tyler Hawira, Helena Hazelhurst, Joe Hazelhurst, Emma Henare, Matthew Hocquard,William Hocquard, Blake Hoskin, George Hubers, Maggie Jones, Kelsi Keown, Alex Luff-Scott, Genna Maples, Nikita McDonald, Connor Munro, Paris Munro, Mason Park, Shaun Parkinson, Taylah Penn, Kaia Potaka-Osborne, Jack Pringle, Tayla Robertson, James Rountree, Archie Smith, Isaiah Su'a, Teagan Tapa, Gemma Tan, Finn Terrey, Jack Terrey, Jonty Tripe and Jaxon Watt.