Leavers

Faster, Higher, Stronger – the ESAA Championships are often called ‘The Schools’ Olympics’ and the characteristics summed up in the Olympic motto of ‘faster, higher, stronger’ have enabled many competitors to excel in a wide range of sports.  From bobsleigh and boxing to rowing and both codes of rugby, the list of leavers who have gone on to achieve international success so far spans 16 different sports.

Within the roll of honour, you will find:

  • 17 Olympic medallists, including 7 Olympic champions
  • 21 World Champions
  • 6 British and Irish Lions (and that’s before the first Women’s Lions tour)
  • a Wisden Cricketer of the Year
  • an ESAA Olympian who has coached 3 different Olympic sports

Transferable Skills

The fundamental athletic skills of running, jumping, and throwing are key components of all sports.  Can you match famous ESAA leavers (listed below) to their other sports by matching athletics skills to the demands of other disciplines? 

Clues: 1 athlete competed in 2 events, and 3 athletes won titles in the same event.

Speed

  • Reaction Time, Acceleration, Top Speed                                
  • Pacing, Speed / Special Endurance                
  • Rhythm, Agility & Spatial Awareness (Hurdles)
  • Hand Coordination & Team-Work (Relays)

Leavers’ events: hurdles, 100m

Jumps

  • Runway Speed & Power
  • Rhythm, Agility & Spatial Awareness 
  • Balance & Coordination

Leavers’ events: high jump, pole vault

Throws

  • Speed & Power
  • Coordination & Timing                                  
  • Flexibility

Leavers’ events: discus, hammer, javelin

Endurance

  • VO2, Running & Walking Economy, Speed Endurance
  • Tactics & Pacing                                             
  • Agility (Steeplechase)

Leavers’ events: 3000m, cross-country

All-round

  • All of the above!!                                            

Leavers’ event: pentathlon

Leavers

Image credit: Mark Shearman MBE – Athletics Images

David James – England football goalkeeper
Maddie Hinch – England hockey goalkeeper
Lucy Bronze – England footballer
Bob Anderson – darts world champion
Vicky Williamson – world track cycling medallist, bobsleigh
Courtney Rumbolt – Olympic bobsleigh medallist
Kelly Morgan – British boxing champion
Shaunagh Brown – England rugby player; forward (pictured)
Johnny May – England rugby player; back
Helen Glover – Olympic rowing champion

Running on thin ice >>

Famous Faces >>