Udhagamandalam: Students,staff and many from the extended family of the Lawrence School at Lovedale on Monday assembled to raise a toast in honour of a student who had done her institution proud.

Chosen to represent her school in the 62nd National School Games Championship held recently at Vadodara the class IX 14 year old girl Vaidehi Vashist had bagged gold in the high jump event by clearing 1.62 metres.Braving the sweltering afternoon heat of Vadodara the athlete from the cool climes of Lovedale had effectively employed the ‘Fosbury flop high jump technique’ to achieve her goal.In the process she became the first athlete among all Indian Public Schools Conference (IPSC) schools numbering around 85 to win a gold medal in athletics at the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) national school games.

While the headmistress of the Lawrence School Sangita Chima led the institution in paying rich tributes to the star athlete,the latter traced her route to the gold and acknowledged the help and encouragement she had received from various persons including her coach Beena Verghese.