Why Marist College Ashgrove is becoming top school for young athletes

An elite school on Brisbane’s north continues to solidify itself as a breeding ground for rising athletes fresh off winning a national track and field challenge as we reveal the stars behind the charge.

The victorious Marist College Ashgrove under-17 team.

An elite school on Brisbane’s north continues to solidify itself as a breeding ground for exceptional athletes fresh off winning a national track and field challenge.

Marist College Ashgrove, who is coming off its eighth successive AIC track and field title,

took out the National Schools Challenge on Monday to continue their streak of form.

Prior to the Schools Challenge, Ashgrove had a handful of athletes representing Queensland at the Australian All Schools Track and Field Championships.

Ashgrove athletes Lee Martin, Joel Drew, Zac Milligan and Asher Parkin saw impressive results with several with top three placings.

Martin, Drew and Parkin then joined their fellow schoolmates James Prole, Isaac Roach, Xavier Simms and Ben Caughley to help crown Marist winners of the intermediate under-17 boys competition.

The boys from Frasers Road proved too strong for Knox Grammar School, claiming victory with 161 points to Knox’s 157.

The victorious Marist College Ashgrove under-17 team.

But it was the ability of Martin, Drew, and Parkin to switch their focus from the All Schools to the Schools Challenge, which helped lead the Marist towards a common goal – to continue their school’s dominance on the track.

A goal they achieved, adding another feather in their cap after victory at the invitational event.

Director of track and field Richard Graham said it was a fantastic achievement for the team given not only the fierce competition but how the team came together.

James Prole gaining on his rivals.

“A number of the boys there ran personal bests,” he said.

“What I think the most pleasing aspect was seeing guys represent themselves, family, and state and then come together as Marist on the Monday, refocus on this is an event for Marist and deliver the same quality of performance.”

Martin, son of Ashgrove Old Boy and track and field coach Robbie, who still holds his hurdles record at the college, won his javelin event to go along with the team’s strong performances.

Lee Martin in action for Ashgrove.

Caughley’s personal best catapulted from just shy of 6m to 6.2m, all a testament to the coaching prowess of Robbie, according to Graham.

“He has really driven this aspirational program over the last couple years with exceptional knowledge of the sport,” he said.

“The depth of the college is a real bonus and amongst that is some real quality.

“The challenge for us now is how we continue to improve our program.

“We have been dominant for so long so the challenge is to improve performances further in the new year.”