Sport Round Up - April - May 2024

In Athletics, At the Somerset Combined Events Championships, Lower Sixth Eden Robinson, in her first U20/Senior Heptathlon, scored a world class 5,478 points (22 short of World Junior Qualifying). Eden sits top of the UK U20 rankings and third in the World U20 rankings (as of 10/05/24). Eden set a school record in the 200m (ESAA National Standard), school record in the Shot Put (ESAA National Standard) and further ESAA National Standard performances in the Long Jump, Javelin and 100m Hurdles. Year 11 Tom Webb attained a PB in the 1500m and a school record PB in the 3,000m, claiming an ESAA National standard in both. Upper Sixth Lily Martin achieved ESAA Entry Standard in Discus, while Lower Sixth Lewie Jones achieved ESAA National Standard in Javelin.  

Millfield students competed across all age groups in 4x100m, 4x200m, 4x400m and 3x800m/4x800m races at Achilles Relays, the annual schools relay meeting held at the famous Ifley Road Athletics Track (Oxford University) where Sir Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile barrier. The Senior Girls team achieved a clean sweep on the sprint relays and the Junior Girls 3x800m team of Year 9 Hope Lewis, Vienna Townsend and Ruby Bodman produced a meeting record, which saw them awarded with performance of the day. 

50 Millfield students entered the Somerset County Championships in Yeovil. Two students produced three Championship Best Performances between them, with Upper Sixth Bellsie Honey running a 12.12s 100m and a PB of 25.02s in the 200m, while Year 10 Lily Jones achieved a 5.48m PB in the Long Jump. 

Upper Sixth Eden Robinson scored an incredible 5500 points competing in the Junior U20 Championships in Germany. Her score was a new school record and a British Athletics World Junior Championships standard. 

In Clay Shooting, at Stover, Lower Sixth Robert Neyland won the Senior Boys’ High Gun, while Year 9 Theo Taylor won the Junior Boys’ High Gun. 

In Cricket, Upper Sixth Archie Vaughan travelled to Abu Dubai with the Somerset First Team and played his first professional game, scoring 37 when opening the batting in a T20 game against Yorkshire First XI. Archie has since been awarded his first Professional Contract with Somerset CCC. He joins them on a two-year deal. 

Upper Sixth Scarlett Hale was selected onto the Women’s National Panel for umpiring and umpired her first professional game in April. 

Upper Sixth Dominic Kelly (Hampshire CCC), Lower Sixth Caleb Falconer (Middlesex CCC) and Upper Sixth Archie Vaughan (Somerset CCC) have been consistently playing 2nd XI Cricket for their respective Counties. 

Lower Sixth Lilly Hawkins (Somerset and the Western Storm) was made Captain of Somerset U18s for the season and scored 94 not out in their opening game, helping the team to victory. 

Year 10 Noah Lewis-Jones (Somerset CCC) made his Somerset U18 debut after impressing on the Tour to Sri Lanka.  

Upper Sixth Archie Vaughan registered the first 100 of the year in the Meyer’s XI opening match vs Cardiff Metropolitan University. Year 10 Louie Laurence matched the feat in the U15A team’s first T20 Cup Round vs Wells Cathedral School.  

Upper Sixth Scarlett Hale has been appointed as one of the Umpires in the Cambridge University vs Oxford University game held at Lords.  

Lower Sixth Lilly Hawkins and Year 11 Laila Moledina have both played regularly for Somerset Women’s XI in the ECB T20 and 50 Over Championships. 

Lower Sixth Lilly Hawkins played in the MCC vs ECB Club Cup Finalists at Lords.  

The Meyer’s XI have progressed to the later stages of the U18 National Cup, defeating Clifton College and 2023 National Champions, King's College, Taunton. The Boys’ U15 team progressed to later stages of their National Cup, while the Girls' U15 team were knocked out. The U18 Girls' team have progressed after defeating Canford School.

In Equestrian, Year 10 Isla Sully competed in the British Dressage Premier League Show at Addington. Isla and her horse Vagabond De Massa won both Junior classes with European qualifying scores. 

At the FEI Dressage International at Compiegne, France, Year 10 Isla Sully achieved three podium finishes, with two seconds in the Junior Team Championship and Individual tests and a win in the Junior Freestyle to Music. 

At the Cotswold Cup eventing qualifier at Pontispool, Year 12 Josh Sully won the 1m class. Year 9 Jack Guppy won the 0.90cm class, while Year 11 Mariella Frost was ninth.

At the National Schools Equestrian Association show jumping qualifier at Hickstead, the 0.90 cm team of Year 11 Mariella Frost, Year 10 Agatha Stamper, Max Bonney and Year 9 Elsa Weaver placed second, qualifying for the National Championships in October.

In the British Showjumping at Wales and the West Showground, Year 9 Lola Spooner won the 1.20m and finished second in both the 1.10m and 1.15m. Her twin sister Olivia Spooner placed second in the 1.20m and third in the 1.15m

Year 12 Josh Sully was third in the Newcomers 1.10m and eighth in the 1.10m Grand Prix.

In Fencing, Millfield sent 20 fencers to the British Youth Championships in Sheffield. Over the three days Millfield students competed with some of the best young fencers in the country. Notable highlights were Upper Sixth Haleena Callaghan finishing in second place in the U18 Girls’ Epee and Year 11 Evie Colyer finishing in fifth place in the U18 Girls’ Foil event. 

In Football, Upper Sixth student Arthur Nasta has signed a professional contract with Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers. Arthur won Supporters Player of the Year, keeping 16 clean sheets in 44 games for Larkhall FC. 

The Second Team won the ESFA B National Cup at Stoke City FC, beating Thomas Telford 4-0 and claiming the first trophy for a Senior Boys team since 2020. 

The Fourth Team went unbeaten through their league campaign.  

The U14 and U16 Girls’ Teams both won their Somerset County Cup Finals.  

The U15 Girls Team reached the ISFA National Cup Final, finishing as runners-up against Surbiton at the Hertfordshire FA County Ground.   

The U14 and U15 Boys teams both reached the Southwest Regional Finals and came up short against Plymouth Schools and East Cornwall respectively. 

Upper Sixth student Ellen Dixon continues to play for Exeter City Women's 1st Team, who became League Champions (National League Division One South West). 

In Golf, Year 11 Abigail Moore became the Somerset Ladies County Champion with scores of 74 + 71 at Mendip Spring Golf Club. Abigail had the best 36-hole gross score and equalled the course record with three under par 71. 

Upper Sixth Dylan John finished 20th in the Wales Mens’ Strokeplay.  

Year 11 Abigal Moore and Year 10 Ffion Lockley were chosen to represent the Somerset Ladies’ County Team. They will play in the South West County Week at the end of June. 

Year 10 Joss Monachello finished joint eighth in the South West U16 Championship at Lansdown with a gross score of 76. Toby Morris finished joint 17th with a gross score of 81.

Year 10 Joss Monachello won both his foursomes and single matches whilst representing Somerset U16 v Dorset U16.

Year 9 Jack McMeekin won the Bath Championship with a gross score of 76.

Year 9 Ashleigh Moore won the Somerset Girls nine-hole event with a gross score of 47, 24 points. 

In Hockey, Upper Sixth Monica Watkins played for England U18 in the Four Nations.  

Lower Sixth Charlotte Robertson played for Scotland U18 in the Four Nations. 

Lower Sixth Makenzy Beard played for Wales U18 vs Austria. 

In Modern Pentathlon, at the Leweston School Laser Run and Triathle competition, Millfield athletes had the opportunity to qualify to represent GB in the European Championships in Madeira. In the U15 Girls’ Laser run event, Year 9 Ruby Bodman was first, while Valentina Kemp was 10th, with the pair winning overall team first. In the U17 Boys’ event, Year 9 Mateo Elliott was third. In the Triathle U15 Girls’ event, Ruby Bodman was first, Valentina Kemp was 12th and Hope Lewis was 15th. Joining Ruby as a qualifier for the European Championships was Year 9 Mateo Elliott, who finished third in the U17 Boys event, and Valentina Kemp, who finished in seventh in the U17 Girls event. 

Lower Sixth Sebastian Forrest won the U19 Modern Pentathlon European Cup in Barcelona, representing Great Britain. 

In Netball, OM Hannah Passmore was selected into the Future Roses squad.

In Outdoor Adventure, two 35 mile Ten Tors teams completed the challenge in warm and challenging conditions on Dartmoor. The teams were Year 9 Tom Brimacombe, Frederick Horgan, Ellie Danner, Lola Linsay-Fynn, Gabriella Franklin and Peggy Swankie. Year 10 Naomi Brooke, Year 9 Cello Jimenez-Rowe, Tim De Pree, Luke Spencer, Ellis Williams and Joshua Seager. 

Six students took on the challenge of canoeing for their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award qualification, while 23 students also tackled the waters for their Gold Expedition practice. In the Brecon Beacons, 19 students took on the challenging navigation to complete their Silver Expedition Qualifying Venture.  

15 current and former students from Millfield were invited to Buckingham Palace to celebrate receiving their Gold DofE awards. 

In Rowing, Upper Sixth Lucy Buckingham won gold in the Upper Sixth 2000m at the National Junior Indoor Championships.  

At the British Rowing Junior Inter Regional Regatta, Year 11 Honor Gerald, Electra Bennett, Year 10 Zara Barnett and Max Johns were selected to row for the South West and Wales team. 

In Rugby, Upper Sixth Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff) and Upper Sixth Owen Erasmus (Ospreys) have agreed professional Rugby contracts. 

Lower Sixth Ben Morrow was selected for the England U17 training camp. 

Upper Sixth Henry Bonetti, Upper Sixth Steffan Emanuel and Lower Sixth Codi Purnell all played U18 Six Nations in Parma Italy. 

In Ski Racing, Lower Sixth Rufus Lawley came first in the U19 age category at the Independent Schools Indoor Championships held at Hemel Hempstead. 

In Swimming, Year 11 Ethan Stubbs-Green and Upper Sixth Rhys Insley competed for Antigua and Bermuda respectively at the CARFITA Swimming Championships in Barbados in early April. Ethan returned once again as a multiple medallist and finalist, with Rhys stepping up to also make multiple finals. 

Lower Sixth Ewan Pedersen raced the Bergen International Meet in Norway, looking to qualify for the Norwegian Junior Team at the European Jnr Championships. Though he just missed this goal, Ewan came away with huge PBs and motivation to qualify next season. 

The dedication and success of Millfield’s aquatic athletes were demonstrated by over 90 Millfield athletes who competed at the South-West Regional Championships across three weekends in April & May. The athletes set dozens of new PBs, claimed places in finals, medals, and secured qualification (both individually and as relay teams) for the National Summer Meets. 

The Aquatics GB Swimming Championships (Olympic Trials) in London saw Millfield students making their mark among fierce competition. With aspirations ranging from Paris 2024 qualification to earning spots on European Senior/Junior GB Teams, these athletes displayed resilience and ambition. Standout performances included Upper Sixth Sienna Franklyn-Miller and Year 11 Meghan Higgs breaking their respective 50m Freestyle school records, joined by a talented cohort in Junior Finals. Upper Sixth student and School Captain Adam Graham exemplified leadership and skill, delivering when it mattered most with multiple B final appearances in the senior ranks. Other Junior finalists included Upper Sixth George Snow, Lower Sixth Toby Godsell, Emily Johnson, Charlotte Hardy, Year 11 Sophie Davies and Year 10 Wilfred Leigh. Further notable mentions from the Championships include Upper Sixth Nicole De Pree, Zahra Davies, Lower Sixth Adam White, Eleanor Hall, Kirsty Neill, Lauchlan Parrot, Lauren Kenna, Naomi Parker, Natasha De Pree and Zara Beaumont, who all showcased remarkable performances, setting season bests throughout the event. 

Millfield Performance Squad swimmers James Guy (OM) and Matt Richards have qualified to represent Team GB in this summer’s Paris Olympics, where they will be joined by OM Kieran Bird. OM Emma Harvey has been selected to represent Bermuda. OM Suzanna Hext will represent Team GB in the pool in the Paralympics. 

10 athletes travelled to the Barcelona leg of the international Mare Nostrum Swim Tour, racing amongst 18 Olympic and World Medallists and World Record holders who are preparing for the Olympic Games. Thrusting themselves into the challenging environment, given the calibre of competitor, the group raced with a growth mindset and purpose. Lower Sixth Toby Godsell, Charlotte Hardy and Eloise Howarth qualified for coveted spots in the A & B finals with Upper Sixth Nicole De Pree, Lower Sixth Kirsty Neill, Lauren Kenna, Emily Johnson, Year 11 Sophie Davies, Megs Higgs and Year 10 Asta Maddox all racing in season-best times or personal bests. Regardless of output, the athletes now possess a clearer outlook on what it takes to reach the next stage in their career; long-term enjoyment, technical mechanics, and a mentality to learn and grow from setback or victory.

In Tennis, Upper Sixth Forbes Hollingsworth signed with Bryant University, an NCAA D1 college which competes in the Southland Conference.  

Millfield Tennis qualified for the WorldPay National Premier League Doubles Finals, held at the prestigious St Georges Hill Club. 

Year 11 students Joshua Craze, Charlie Ruffell and Rafe Samuel all qualified for the British National Championships, with Josh making it to the Last 16 in the U16 event. 

Lower Sixth George Howard gained his first British ranking points, winning four straight tournaments of county/regional level in both U18 and Men’s age groups. 

Lower Sixth Neirin Gilani reached the quarter finals of the Wrexham U18 National event. 

Year 9 Valentina Bailey won the Stade Francais Paris U18 event.  

Year 11 Rafe Samuel reached the quarterfinals of the doubles event at ITF Thalwil J30 and qualified for main draw at the J200 Aldershot. 

In Triathlon, Year 11 Erin Pritchard became the Bahamas Triathlon Association National Champion, and has secured her place at the CARIFTA Games in the process. 

Lower Sixth Annabelle Souter won the British Triathlon Super Series in Llanelli at the start of May. Year 11 Tom Webb came seventh and Dexter Townsend came 11th.

OM Erica Hawley qualified to represent Bermuda at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.