A teenager who has balanced hours of training to support her elite swimming career with her studies at Bradford Grammar School (BGS) is celebrating after achieving top grades in her GCSEs today (August 12).
Leah Schlosshan, 16, of Adel, Leeds, scooped a fantastic 11 GCSEs today, ten of which were awarded coveted grade 9s (equivalent to A*s under the old system) and one 8.
Leah was last month selected to represent GB for her first international competition at the European Junior Swimming Championships in Rome where she scooped a bronze medal in the 4 x 100m medley relay, swimming the breaststroke leg. She also participated in the 400m and 200m individual medley, progressing to the semi-final in the latter.
Said Leah: “I’m delighted with my results. I’m very grateful to BGS and all the teachers, especially Craig Robinson, (BGS specialist swimming coach) for supporting me through this difficult year so that I could achieve my dream to represent GB internationally but also to achieve my goals academically. I feel very lucky and privileged.”
The teenager trains nine times a week in the Leeds City Council Swim Training Scheme under her coach Richard Denigan, and competes nationally for the City of Leeds SC. During the lockdowns, due to the closure of the John Charles Centre for Sport, BGS ensured she could continue her training at school in the school’s swimming pool around lessons, assessments, and other co-curricular commitments.
Dr Simon Hinchliffe, headmaster at BGS, said: “Many congratulations to Leah who has achieved outstanding success in her GCSEs. We’re very proud of her. It takes real grit and determination to balance academic learning with training at an elite level and Leah has shown she has huge amounts of both qualities.”
Craig Robinson, BGS specialist swimming coach, added: “We were able to offer Leah about half of the 20 or more hours that typically make up her training each week, but it was the self-discipline and work that Leah put in behind the scenes that helped her qualify then compete for Team GB this summer. Swimming personal best performances in the Girls 4 x 100m Medley Relay after the challenges faced over of the last 18 months was truly remarkable.”
“It takes real grit and determination to balance academic learning with training at an elite level and Leah has shown she has huge amounts of both qualities.”
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