On Thursday 19 February one of South Africa’s most prestigious interschool athletics competitions unfolds when Paarl Girls’ High School, celebrating their 150th anniversary, hosts the annual 4M Athletics meeting.
The birth of a tradition
The 4M story began in September 1992 when Lezel Amoraal of Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof proposed an athletics meeting between four distinguished rural girls’ schools: Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof, Rhenish Girls’ High School from Stellenbosch, and Paarl Girls’ High School and La Rochelle Girls’ High School from Paarl. Each school boasts over 150 years of tradition.
Bloemhof organised the inaugural meeting in 1993 at Coetzenburg, Stellenbosch. The distinctive “4M” name was coined by Sanette Nowers, then principal of Bloemhof.
A rotating host system was established: Paarl Girls’ High School hosted in 1994, La Rochelle in 1995, and Rhenish in 1996.
Evolution and adaptation
Initially sponsored by Boland Bank for three years, the event became self-sustaining with schools sharing transport costs. The venue moved between Coetzenberg, Paarl Boys’ High track, and Dal Josaphat before returning to Paarl in 2013 following Drakenstein Municipality’s 2009 facility upgrades.
Challenges and growth
The Covid-19 pandemic cancelled the 2021 event, but Paul van der Hoven of Rhenish Girls’ High School used this time to draft the official 4M Constitution. The 2022 return introduced safety protocols limiting attendance to 2 000 people.
Beyond athletics
In 1999, Letitia Snyman of Rhenish Girls’ High School proposed a 4M Swimming Gala, extending the tradition beyond athletics.
Today’s event represents 33 years of friendship, rivalry, tradition, and sporting excellence among institutions whose combined history spans over six centuries.
Winner statistics:
1993: Paarl Girls’ High School
1994: Paarl Girls’ High School
1995: Paarl Girls’ High School
1996: Paarl Girls’ High School
1997: Paarl Girls’ High School
1998: Bloemhof
1999: Bloemhof
2000: Bloemhof
2001: Bloemhof
2002: La Rochelle
2003: La Rochelle
2004: La Rochelle
2005: Bloemhof
2006: Bloemhof
2007: Bloemhof
2008: Bloemhof
2009: Bloemhof
2010: Bloemhof
2011: Bloemhof
2012: Bloemhof
2013: La Rochelle
2014: La Rochelle
2015: La Rochelle
2016: La Rochelle
2017: La Rochelle
2018: La Rochelle
2019: Paarl Girls’ High School
2020: La Rochelle
2021: Covid-19 pandemic
2022: Paarl Girls’ High
2023: Paarl Girls’ High
2024: Paarl Girls’ High
2025: Paarl Girls’ High
