College News

QE student thrills at Olympic swimming trials

Harriet Rogers, a first year student at QE has recently enjoyed success in the British Swimming Selection Trials for the Tokyo Olympic Games in London. Due to lockdown, Harriet, who studies Chemistry, Maths and PE at QE, has spent the past four months living in hotels and training at various different swimming pools across the country in preparation for the competition, successfully managing to juggle her passion with the ongoing pandemic. The final week before the trials saw her join a COVID-19 bubble, only being allowed to leave her room to train, collect food, and finally, compete. At the contest, Harriet swam in the 100m freestyle, finishing 10^th, and secured a place in the final of the 50m freestyle where she came 7^th, a magnificent achievement.

Reflecting on the trials, Harriet comments: ‘I was very nervous to compete as I was amongst current Olympians and those whose careers depended on the races, but it was a great experience. I’m looking forward to the upcoming competitions and working with my new coach as I have recently moved to Newcastle to continue my swimming development. Providing events are able to go ahead, I’m hoping to make the Team GB Junior Team for the upcoming European Championships which take place later this year, and also the Commonwealth Games next year. I’d like to say thank you to all of my teachers at QE who have been very supportive and accommodating over the past four months, especially when I’ve been away from home and needed extra support with my work’.

Jane Spink, teacher of PE at QE, adds: ‘It’s a real pleasure to teach Harriet; she is as dedicated to her A Level studies as she is to her swimming. I watched the final with excitement and it was fantastic to be able to celebrate her achievements and congratulate her in person later in the week. We are very proud of Harriet’s determination; she is incredibly talented.’ Julia Atkinson-Tait, Course Leader for PE, concludes: ‘Harriet is an outstanding individual who has been able to combine her A Level studies with elite level training and we couldn’t be more proud of her, especially in these exceptional circumstances’.

Featured in the image is Harriet with her coach, Glen Fenby.