Five swimmers at Barlborough Hall School and Mount St Mary’s College have been placed in the top ten in the country for their performances in the pool.
Throughout the academic year IAPs, the Independent Association of Prep Schools, stages landmark championships in different sports including cross country, hockey and football, as well as swimming.
Barlborough Hall School pupil Erin Gent, who competes in the Under 11 Girls Backstroke, was placed second fastest qualifier out of 165 swimmers from across the UK, and 11-year-old Andy Edgar was also second fastest qualifier in the boys’ Under 11 Freestyle competition out of a total of 155 swimmers.
Other Outstanding Results
Ffion Elsby Adams, a pupil at Barlborough Hall School, was seventh fastest qualifier in the country at 50m freestyle.
Sisters Ruby-Rose and Scarlett Miller, both at Mount St Mary’s College, were also placed in the top five for their individual strokes.
Ruby-Rose was third fastest qualifier in the country in Girls Under 12 Backstroke. Scarlett was third fastest qualifier in the Girls Under 13 Breaststroke. Fellow Mount student, Isabel Johnson was placed 21st in the Girls Under 13 Breaststroke, and so would have missed out on a spot in the finals by just one place.
Erin said she was extremely pleased for herself and the team to have placed so highly. “I’ve tried so hard throughout the course of this year and put in a lot of training, but then of course I’ve had to stop because of the coronavirus pandemic,” she said. “It has been so difficult to go from swimming every day to not being able to go to the pool at all, so getting these results through is extra special and makes me realise why it’s all so worthwhile.”
The highlight of the IAPS swimming calendar would ordinarily be the finals at the Aquatic Centre in London but obviously this year, the event has been cancelled.
Erin’s proud mum Sue, said she was thrilled with her daughter’s achievement and those of her friends. “Erin and the rest of the team have trained so hard and put in so many hours, and obviously this year has been particularly difficult for all those who compete,” she said.
Head of Games and Sport at Barlborough Hall School and Mount St Mary’s College, Dylan Campbell, said, “These IAPs results from the swimming pool are absolutely fantastic and are tantamount to the hard work and dedication of our students and their coaches.”
Barlborough Hall School
Barlborough Hall School Headteacher, Karen Keeton said the results were a ‘truly amazing’ achievement. “We are so proud of each and every child who competes and represents the school at whatever level and in whatever sport,” she said. “These IAPS results are exceptional and are among the best results we have ever seen in swimming at our school. They are remarkable.”
Mount St Mary’s College offers a number of bursaries and scholarships in sport for children who excel. For more information email: [email protected].
Mount St Mary’s College
