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Team ISC does the independent sector proud in Beijing
Written by Rudi Eliott LockhartHopes for British Olympic glory in Beijing rest in many cases on the shoulders of a number of former pupils from ISC schools. Already David Florence, an ex-pupil of Stewart’s Melville College, has won silver in the men’s C-1 canoeing slalom, Emma Pooley, formerly of Norwich High School for Girls and Norwich School, picked up a silver in the women’s cycling road time trial and William Fox-Pitt, a former Eton pupil, and Sharon Hunt, an alumnus of The Perse School for Girls at sixth form and Culford School, both won bronze in the team eventing.
This shouldn’t come as a great surprise. In 2004 gold medals were won by Chris Hoy in the men’s 1km track cycling, Ben Ainsley in the Finn class sailing and Steve Williams, James Cracknell, Ed Coode and Matthew Pinsent in the men’s coxless fours rowing, all former independent school pupils. Research for The Times suggested that upwards of 45% of British medal winners at Athens had attended independent schools.
The impressive record of independent schools at producing sportsmen and sportswomen can be seen in many sports. Five of the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup winning starting lineup and 3 of the replacements were independent school alumni. Similarly, three of the 2005 Ashes winning side were former ISC pupils. The strength of independent schools in developing rowing talent is apparent from the fact that eight out of the 18 in this year’s boat race were former pupils. Even in football the profile of former independent school pupils is on the rise. In 2002 Frank Lampard (Brentwood) became the first independent school alumnus to play in an FA cup final since 1883. He was followed by James Beattie (Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Blackburn) in 2003, Neil Harris (Brentwood) in 2004 and Quinton Fortune (Forest school) in 2005. Last season 17 players in the Premiership or Coca-Cola league had been to independent schools.
Independent schools offer an impressive range of sports; they offer excellent facilities and frequently back this up with superb coaching. It is this that helps to produce so many sports stars. But it’s not just pupils at independent schools who benefit; often the facilities are used by sportsmen and women from outside the schools. In the run up to the Athens Olympics, double-gold-medallist Kelly Holmes trained on the track at Tonbridge School. The rowing lake at Eton Dorney was used by the Olympic rowing squad before they moved to Caversham, and it will be one of the venues for the London 2012 games. The Eton athletics track is shared between Eton College and the Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow Athletics Club, one of whose members is Nicola Sanders, a medal hope running in the 400m and the 4×400m. At the Olympics the whole nation gets behind Team GB, so the efforts of independent schools in developing sporting talent benefit all sports fans.
At Beijing many of the competitors we’ve all been cheering on first got into their sports when pupils at independent schools. Some have missed out on a place on the podium but have still done all British sports fans proud. David Carry (Robert Gordon’s College) set a new national record in the 400m freestyle swimming but missed out on a place in the final, while as part of the 4×200m freestyle relay team he helped to set another national record in the final as the team finished a creditable sixth.
Others are – at time of writing – mid competition. Tom James (The King’s School Chester), part of the men’s coxless fours, won his heat and will be rowing in the final on Saturday. Olivia Whitlam (The King’s School Chester) rows in the final of the women’s coxless pairs, also on Saturday. Katie Greves (Headington School) is rowing in the women’s eight – her boat came second in the heats and is still hoping to make the finals on Sunday. Tom Lucy (Monmouth School) is in the men’s rowing eight. They won their heat and will be rowing in the final on Sunday. James Tindall (St. George’s, Weybridge) scored the opening goal for the men’s hockey team in their impressive defeat of Pakistan; let’s hope he can help the team go all the way to the final on Saturday. Gail Emms (Dame Alice Harpur School) lost in the round of sixteen in the women’s doubles badminton but is still in the mixed doubles, the event she won silver for in Athens, with the quarter final on Thursday.
Still to compete are Andy Turner (Nottingham High School for Boys) who will go for glory in the 110m hurdles and Alistair Brownlee (Bradford Grammar) who is competing in the triathalon.
It’s not just Team GB who has drawn on ISC schools for competitors. Alex Hua Tian (Eton) is competing in the eventing for China where he’s been a bit of a media sensation.
Many more Olympians than there’s been space to mention in this blog went to ISC member schools, and many of those mentioned will have been to more than one ISC school. Please feel free to add comments highlighting other Olympic stories about current or former independent school pupils.
Related posts:
- A Bright Spark: ‘Gifted and Talented’ in the Independent Sector
- Food for the Soul: Music, Art and Drama in the Independent Sector
- A big thank you from the Research & Intelligence team
- London Borough School Search (Independent schools)
- Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Independent Schools
I Eastham Says:
Sharon Hunt actually attended the Perse School for Girls for sixth form and Culford School, not The Perse School.
Rudi Eliott Lockhart Says:
Many thanks for the correction. I have amended the blog accordingly.
Rudi Eliott Lockhart Says:
Now that the Beijing Olympics have drawn to a close, it’s possible to look back at some fantastic success stories. Chris Hoy, winner of a stunning 3 cycling gold medals was once a pupil at George Watson College; Tom James and Steve Williams, gold medallists in the men’s coxless fours attended The King’s School Chester and Monkton Combe School respectively; Zach Purchase, one half of the gold-winning men’s lightweight double sculls went to the King’s School, Worcester; Ben Ainslie, once of Truro School won gold in the Finn class sailing. In addition to those won by David Florence (Stewart’s Melville College) and Emma Pooley (Norwich High School for Girls and Norwich School), silver medals were won by Alastaie Heathcote (Eton College), Tom Lucy (Monmouth School), Alex Partridge (Monkton Combe School) and Tom Stallard (Oundle School) in the men’s eight. Daisy Dick (Downe House) was part of the equestrian eventing team that won bronze along with William Fox-Pitt (Eton College) and Sharon Hunt (The Perse School for Girls & Culford School). Stephen Rowbotham (Clifton College) won bronze as half of the men’s double sculls and Cassie Patten (Plymouth College) won bronze in the women’s 10km swimming marathon. These were great performances, but everyone who competed for team GB did us proud, whether they won medals or not.