Sporting milestones
In a glittering black-tie event attended by St Mary’s rowers and two St Mary’s celebrities - founder of the St Mary’s Rowing Club, Brenda Reid, and Olympic competitor, Kate Christowitz - the school celebrates the 25 years of the club’s existence. Until 1993 the school sports are tennis, hockey, swimming and squash and there are no other girls’ schools against whom to compete.
By 2018 the club has 61 members, eight coaches and 27 boats, with money being raised for more boats to allow more girls to join. By 2019 the rowing club has won 20 South African Schools’ Championships and over 95 medals. After the school wins silver at the Gauteng Junior Rowing Championships in 2018, Tarumbidzwa Chirume writes: “I think we more than won – in spirit, in pride, but most importantly in the coming together of different people united by one love, in one club.”
There are many great sporting achievements but of note in 2018 are the Junior School swimming teams winning the A, B and C Prestige galas and the two gold and three bronze medals gained at the South African Rhythmic Gym Games in Johannesburg. The tennis team wins the annual tennis festival in 2019 in which eight teams from around the country compete.