Celebrating SGS Alumni Success at the 2024 Paris Olympics

The 2024 Olympic Games have now come to a close, with two SGS Alumni having competed in the Paris Olympics 2024. Josh Tarling (representing Team GB) journey to the 2024 Olympics was filled with impressive accomplishments and some setbacks. At just 20 years old, Tarling, a rising star in British cycling, competed in the men's individual time trial event at the Paris Olympics. Although he was a strong contender for a medal, an untimely puncture during the race ultimately saw him finish in fourth place, just 2.16 seconds shy of the podium. This result was a tough blow for the young cyclist, who had previously secured victories at major events such as the European Time Trial Championships in 2023 and the opening time trial at O Gran Camiño in 2024. 

The second athlete competing at Paris 2024 was Chay Mullins, a talented rugby player originally from Bristol, who made significant strides in his athletic career leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Representing Ireland in rugby sevens, Mullins has a diverse background in rugby, including playing for Connacht Rugby and the Ireland national sevens team. In the lead-up to the Olympics, Mullins was part of the Ireland squad that competed in the Rugby Europe Sevens Championship, where he played a pivotal role. His performance earned him a spot on the Ireland sevens team for the Olympics. During the games, Mullins contributed notably with key tries, including those in matches against Japan and Fiji, demonstrating his skill and importance to the team.

Whilst, the Olympics may have come to a close, the 2024 Paralympic Games start on the 28th August running through to the 8th September. An SGS Alumni participating in the Paralympic Games is Will Bayley Table Tennis. Will Bayley's Paralympic journey has been marked by resilience and success. His Paralympic debut in 2012 saw him win silver in men's class 7 table tennis. Building on this, he captured the gold medal in Rio 2016, becoming a Paralympic champion. Despite sustaining a significant knee injury in 2019, Bayley returned to compete in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics (held in 2021), where he won a silver medal, proving his ability to bounce back from adversity. Looking towards Paris 2024, Bayley remains a strong contender. Since Tokyo, he has regained both the world and European titles and reclaimed his world No. 1 ranking in men's class 7. His determination to continue his dominance and potentially regain his Paralympic title is evident as he heads into the games with confidence and belief.

Reflecting on the achievements of SGS Sport athletes at the highest level, Curriculum Director of Personal and Social Development– Connor Sidley-Adams commented that “everyone at SGS College is very proud of our Olympic and Paralympic athletes who represented and will represent TeamGB and Team Ireland this summer. Following our learners journeys as they continue to succeed post SGS College is something that we take great pride in"