2023 was an exceptional year for Repton School’s swimming programme. Talented young Reptonians competed in the British Swimming Championships, Commonwealth Youth Games, European Junior Swimming Championships, and other major competitions.
From winning multiple medals to breaking a national record, here’s a round-up of Repton School’s swimming achievements in 2023.
The British Swimming Championships
Repton’s swimming squad kicked off the summer season with the British Swimming Championships in July. The annual event took place at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge International Sports Centre.
Owing to the exceptional quality of coaching, the team won seven gold medals, four silver medals, and nine bronze medals. Members of the squad also achieved 40 personal bests.
Year 12 Repton pupil Laurie D won gold in the 50-metre freestyle final, becoming the British national champion.
The European Junior Swimming Championships
Later that month, the British Swimming team selected Laurie and fellow Reptonian Hannah B (Year 13) to compete in the European Junior Swimming Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. They became Repton’s first-ever high-performance swimmers to represent the UK at the international level.
Oscar B, a Repton Swimming club member, also attended the annual event, which showcases Europe’s best up-and-coming swimmers. He helped Great Britain win silver in the 4 x 100-metre mixed medley relay.
Hannah qualified by achieving the 200-metre breaststroke consideration time and competed in the breaststroke events. Laurie qualified by securing the 50-metre freestyle consideration time and competed in the freestyle events.
In addition, Repton School’s Director of Swimming Ash Morris was one of seven coaches selected to join the 2023 British Swimming team for the event.
Morris joined the School in November 2022 from Hamilton Aquatics in Dubai. He has coached more than 30 athletes to selection for international junior and senior teams during his career.
Under Morris’ leadership, Hamilton Aquatics became the top swimming club in the Middle East. He has also helped Repton’s swimming programme go from strength to strength. It’s now one of the best in the country: Repton comes third in the National Schools Medal Table.
The Commonwealth Youth Games
Laurie and Hannah went on to represent Team Scotland and Team England, respectively, at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago in August. Holly M (Year 12) also took part in the global sporting event, which occurs every four years. All three girls reached the finals of their events.
Laurie competed in the 100-metre freestyle, 50-metre freestyle, and relay events. She won a silver medal in the mixed 4 x 100-metre medley relay and finished fourth in the individual 50-metre freestyle.
Hannah took part in the 200-metre breaststroke events, 100-metre breaststroke, and 50-metre breaststroke events. She finished fourth in the 200-metre breaststroke.
Holly M represented Wales in the 200-metre backstroke, 200-metre butterfly, 400-metre individual medley (IM), and relay events. She won a bronze medal in the 400-metre individual relay.
The Irish Youth and Senior Summer Nationals
Repton pupils Poppy M, Grace C, and Eva M attended the Irish Youth and Senior Summer Nationals in July. Grace C won gold in the women’s 50-metre freestyle event for the 19 years and over category. She also secured a bronze medal in the women’s 100-metre butterfly in the 18 years and over age bracket.
Swim Wales and Swim England National Summer Meets
Repton pupils competed in August’s Swim Wales and Swim England National Summer Meets.
Idena G, who competed at the Swim Wales event in Swansea, achieved a gold medal, a bronze medal, and several personal bests.
Meanwhile, Repton swimmers won 10 medals at the five-day Swim England event in Sheffield. Elodie P became national champion after winning gold in the 14 Years final.
The ESSA National Teams Championships
In November, swimmers from Repton School and Repton Prep attended the English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) Championships in Birmingham. The squad performed exceptionally, securing several medals and breaking a national record.
The junior girls’ team (Years 7 and 8) won gold in the 4 x 50-metre free relay and 4 x 50-metre medley relay, as did the intermediate girls’ team (Years 9 and 10). This was the first time Repton had won gold at the ESSA National Teams Championships. The clutch of four gold medals placed Repton at the top of the leader board.
The intermediate girls’ team also broke the national record in the 4 x 50-metre medley relay.
In addition, the senior girls’ team (Years 11, 12, and 13) secured bronze in the 4 x 50-metre free relay and 4 x 50-metre medley relay events. Meanwhile, the intermediate boys’ team (Years 9 and 10) won a bronze medal in the 4 x 50-metre free relay and 4 x 50-metre medley relay.
About Repton School
Repton School in Derbyshire has a long-held tradition of sporting excellence. In hockey alone, the co-educational day and boarding school holds 46 national titles.
Aside from swimming and hockey, other focus sports at Repton include football and tennis. The School also offers additional activities, like fencing and golf, as part of its wider sports programme. More than 80% of pupils represent the School in at least one sport. On top of this, every Reptonian plays sports at least three times weekly.
Sport is one of five pillars that make up a balanced Repton education. The other pillars are academics, extra-curricular, spirit of place, and Pastoral care.
Sports, academics, and co-curricular activities exist in harmony at Repton. The School supports pupils as they discover and develop their potential across a range of pursuits. Whatever talents and hobbies pupils uncover when exploring Repton’s curricular and co-curricular activities, they will have abundant opportunities to develop these.
Many families seek out Repton for the School’s strong sporting reputation and resources. Repton offers pre-eminent coaches and facilities to help pupils realise their abilities and ambitions. These facilities include a 25-metre indoor swimming pool with a spectator area and 12 outdoor tennis courts.
World swimming champion Adam Peaty OBE trained at Repton for four years before winning gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In November 2019, the School welcomed him back to open its remodelled sports centre. Many of Repton’s elite swimmers hope to follow in Peaty’s footsteps by qualifying for the British Olympic trials in April 2024.
