The Wiggles' Hot Potato might have replaced the national anthem for the athletes at St Brendan's Primary School but the competition was no less fierce when the school held its first Potato Olympics.
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The school's 19 students each bought a potato in from home, not knowing the reason why, when their competitive spirits were fired up by teacher Clare Scanlon announcing the spuds were now athletes and would compete in a series of sporting challenges.
The pupils decorated and named their potato athletes, made headbands and were awarded medals after events including the potato spin, potato ramp roll, shotput and a series of relays.
All bar one potato competitor made it through to the end, with 'Rambo" remembered during a minutes' silence on day two of the games after failing to survive the shotput.
Students were divided in to three nations - Potato Land, Potato Country and Potato Kingdom - with Potato Land finishing top of the medal tally with six golds.
Ms Scanlon had seen another school on Facebook hold their own Potato Olympics and couldn't resist the chance to hold a competition in the heart of Victoria's potato growing region.
"The children bought in potatoes from home not knowing what it was for so they didn't know which would be the best size or shape for different events and we learned sometimes big ones don't roll down the ramp as well as smaller ones," she said.
IN OTHER NEWS
Ms Scanlon said the children had been eagerly watching the Olympics at home.
"Because the Olympics started while they were at home for COVID lockdown, they were able to watch it at the start and swimming was definitely a highlight but they all have different events they like."
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