Today was a really special day because I received the Donkin Cup trophy. This trophy is awarded to the Year 6 winner of the Donkin Cup, and it felt amazing to finally hold it. Seeing my name on the trophy made me feel really proud and happy. It was one of those moments where I stopped and thought about how far I have come. This trophy means a lot to me, not just because I won it, but because of everything that led up to it.
I still remember running the Donkin Cup race back in Year 3. At that time, I had done no running at all and did not even know I was any good at it. I finished fourth overall in the race and came first for my house, Patrick’s. I remember feeling incredibly proud of myself and surprised at the same time. That race was the first moment I realised that running might be something special for me, and I started to wonder what the future could hold.
After that race, I joined Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers and started training properly. My target was very simple but also very important to me. I wanted to win the Donkin Cup in Year 4, and I wanted to win it by a clear margin. I trained twice a week at my club, and to my surprise, I started getting faster and faster. Running quickly became something I really loved doing.
When it came to Year 4, everything came together. I remember winning the Donkin Cup by a big distance, and lots of people were shocked by how much faster I had become. It felt incredible to see my hard work pay off. In Year 5, everyone already knew I was the fastest in the year, so there was an expectation for me to win again. I did not feel pressured though, because I loved running and felt confident in myself.
Year 5 was also memorable because the Donkin Cup was cancelled twice before it finally went ahead. When it did happen, I remember winning by a large margin of at least 20 seconds. By the time I reached Year 6, I felt calm and confident rather than nervous. In the race, I tried to break away early and get away from the boy in second place, and in the end I won quite comfortably.
Looking at the Donkin Cup trophy now makes me feel incredibly proud of my running journey. I started in Year 3 with no experience at all and finished fourth, and now I have achieved so much more than I ever imagined. I am proud to hold the prep school record for the Habs Dash and the 1500 metre sports day records in both Year 5 and Year 6. This trophy will stay in my wardrobe with my other medals and trophies, and every time I see it, it will remind me of how I started and how far I have come. It is definitely one of my proudest trophies and one I will treasure for a long time.
