Remarkable.
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That’s just about the only way you to describe Cathy Johnson’s success in the Orange Eight Day Games, after she claimed her third straight Queen of Sport title last week, which was also her 10th crown overall.
Ticking off another milestone, Johnson also became the first woman to compete in 20 editions of the annual competition, the 2017 victory giving her an incredible winning strike rate of 50 per cent.
“Everyone was calling her 20-10 at [Saturday’s] presentation night,” Eight Day Games secretary Jason Lyne laughed.
“We’re all very proud of Cathy. Her commitment and dedication to the competition, coming back from Sydney to compete, is second to none and she was a deserved winner.
“She had plenty of competition this year though and she was actually really surprised and shocked to have won again.”
Johnson was second when scores went behind closed doors after Wednesday’s fifth day, 10 points adrift of Nicole Williamson.
She picked up one more event win across the last three days, a second and a third as well, to ultimately push just three points clear of second-finisher Williamson, with early front-runner Annabel Guthrie finishing a deserved third.
Overall, Johnson claimed nine podium finishes across the competition’s 21 events, proving consistency to be the key.
Three of those were wins, in the mountain biking, karting and cycling.
Meanwhile, Henry Savage claimed his maiden King of Sport title, beating out two-time defending champion Jackson Leckie, with Mitch Williamson running third.
Savage was five points in front of Leckie when the pointscores went under wraps, but after featuring on the podium just once after that Lyne said the eventual winner thought he’d blown it.
“He led all the way last year and then choked on the last day, he thought he’d done it again,” Lyne laughed.
“But none of the top four guys had a great day in the clay target shooting, just so everyone knows I got a perfect 10 in that, and I think the pressure actually got to them a bit.
“It was great to see Henry win, he was very deserving of it.”
Lyne was over the moon with the 2017 edition of the tournament, particularly the success of the new all-abilities category.
“It was excellent, they had a lot of a fun and competed really well, it was a great addition. Prue (McCarthy) and Joel (Everett) did fantastically,” he said.
“There’s a few things we’ll work on and make sure it’s bigger and better for them next year.
“It was just a fantastic competition again, a big thanks to everyone involved.
“We’re all in recovery mode now after a pretty big week, but we’re all looking forward to the 2018 Eight Day Games already.”
FULL RESULTS
OVERALL
KING OF SPORT: Henry Savage, Jackson Leckie, Mitch Williamson
QUEEN OF SPORT: Cathy Johnson, Nicole Williamson, Annabel Guthrie
DAY 8
CLAY TARGET SHOOTING
QUEENS: Jacinta Bennett, Jess Marsh, Cathy Johnson
KINGS: Jason Lyne, Adrian Priest and Jono Punch
BOWHUNTING
QUEENS: Jess Marsh, Nicole Williamson, Annabel Guthrie
KINGS: Anthony Wharton, Andrew Marsh, Zac Osborne-Gillette
DAY 7
CYLCING
QUEENS: Cathy Johnson, Anne O’Connor, Nicole Williamson
KINGS: Jackson Boucher, Henry Savage, Simon Wright
MYSTERY – SHUFFLEBOARD
QUEENS: Rachel Bailey, Emma Mitselburg, Lucy Wallace
KINGS: Adam Savage, Mitch Williamson, Zac Osborne-Gillette
DAY 6
CROQUET
QUEENS: Lucy Wallace, Jacinta Bennett, Jess Marsh
KINGS: Zac Osborne-Gillette, Simon Wright, Jason Lyne
TENPIN BOWLING
QUEENS: Nicole Williamson, Cathy Johnson, Annabel Guthrie
KINGS: Adrian Priest, Jono Punch, Sam Morgan
DAY 5
LAWN BOWLS
QUEENS: Lucy Wallace, Nat Clinghan, Rachel Bailey
KINGS: Adam Savage, Andrew Marsh, Simon Wright
ORIENTEERING
QUEENS: Nicole Williamson, Cathy Johnson, Pippi Simmons
KINGS: Mitch Williamson, Jackson Leckie, Winston West
MYSTERY – MOTORISED ESKY TIME TRIAL
QUEENS: Nicole Williamson, Jess Marsh, Hannah Marsh
KINGS: Henry Savage, Simon Wright, Jono Punch
DAY 4
GOLF
QUEENS: Belinda Ferguson, Nicole Williamson, Annabel Guthrie
KINGS: Mitch Williamson, Adrian Priest, Sam Morgan
MYSTERY – PUTTING CHALLENGE
QUEENS: Rosie Baccariniarini, Lucy Wallace, Hannah Marsh
KINGS: Henry Savage, Simon Wright, Matt Eatell
DAY 3
FOOTBALL SKILLS
QUEENS: Annabelle Guthrie, Nicole Williamson, Cathy Johnson
KINGS: Jackson Leckie, Henry Savage, Zac Osborne-Gillette
CROSS COUNTRY RUN
QUEENS: Nicole Williamson, Annabel Guthrie, Lucy Wallace
KINGS: Mitch Williamson, Jackson Leckie, Jackson Boucher
DAY 2
ATHLETICS
QUEENS: Nicole Williamson, Hannah Marsh, Cathy Johnson
KINGS: Joe Melino, Jackson Leckie, Henry Savage
SWIMMING
QUEENS: Claire Goodall, Annabel Guthrie, Rachel Bailey
KINGS: Henry Savage, Jackson Leckie, Joe Melino
KARTING
QUEENS: Cathy Johnson, Emma Mitselburg, Lucy Wallace
KINGS: Matt Eatell, Jono Punch, Jackson Leckie
FRISBEE GOLF
QUEENS: Nat Clinghan, Belinda Ferguson, Annabel Guthrie
KINGS: Jase Lyne, Matt Eatell, Andrew McConnache
DAY 1
COMMANDO COURSE
QUEENS: Annabelle Guthrie, Cathy Johnson, Nicole Williamson
KINGS: Henry Savage, Jackson Leckie, Jackson Boucher
PINNACLE STAIR CLIMB
QUEENS: Annabelle Guthrie, Nicole Williamson, Hannah Marsh
KINGS: Andrew McConnache, Mitch Williamson, Henry Savage
MOUNTAIN BIKES
QUEENS: Cathy Johnson, Nicole Williamson, Annabel Guthrie
KINGS: Jackson Boucher, Mitch Williamson, Leigh Miller
CANOEING
QUEENS: Leanne Wiggins, Hannah Marsh, Jess Marsh
KINGS: Anthony Wharton, Leigh Miller, Andrew Marsh.