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Representative Honours for Down High Pupils
There can be no doubt that the summer of 2023 was a wet one. Amidst all the downpours, representative honours at provincial or national level, rained down on a long list of Down High pupils. We are so proud of all their achievements that that we thought we’d note them all down in one post (and with the list as long as it is, we hope we haven’t missed anyone!).
In athletics, Oliver Robinson and Freya Boyce were selected onto the Ulster Schools Athletics team for the Interprovincial games in Carlow competing in the 400m and 100m respectively. Ollie went on to represent the Ireland team at the SIAB games in Grangemouth, Scotland against the other home nations where he picked up a bronze medal in the 4x400m relay. Tom Crudgington and Ethan McMullan travelled with the Irish Mountain Running U20 squad to compete at the World Mountain Running Championships in Innsbruck, Austria while Year 14 pupil Lucy Foster had the great honour of being selected to run the 1500m for the Northern Ireland Athletics team at the Commonwealth Youth games in the sunny climes of Trinidad and Tobago where she finished 9th overall.
In football, Scott Hamilton took to the field for the Northern Irish U16 team in a triple-header of fixtures in England against Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers and Burnley, in preparation for their Victory Shield campaign. He one goal against Manchester City and two against Blackburn.
In cricket, Alex Carville, was selected onto the Ulster Schools squad for their tour to Glasgow having also represented the NCU U17 side for their interprovincial series alongside schoolmates James Wright and Tom Martin. Having lifted the U15 Schools Cup with their Down High team mates late in the summer term, talented year 11 pupils Emily Carville, Niamh Lowry and Joscelyn Wright showed some form in the red of the U15 NCU side. Joscelyn went on to impress for the Ireland U15 side as they toured to the prestigious Malvern Cricket festival in England. Not to be outdone by their senior counterparts, Year 10 pupils Darcy Hull, Dylan McCann and Fraser Mitchell represented their respective NCU Under 13 teams at the Northwest Cricket Festival.
In swimming, Adam Colgan continued to display the sort of form that led to him receiving a coveted place on the new National Centre (Ulster) Performance Scholarship. Alongside picking up several Irish National titles, Adam attended the European Junior Championships, the highlight of which was breaking an Irish Junior record with his teammates in the 4x100m freestyle.
In Savate Boxing, Oran Denvir travelled to Slovenia for the Youth World Championships where he picked up a gold medal.
In rugby, Head boy Ryan Connolly nailed down his place in the back row for Ulster U19s in all their interprovincial games. Year 13 pupil Ryan Halpin secured Ulster U18 Schools honours in their series, only missing one game, due his selection onto the Ireland U18 squad for their development camp in Wales with their Welsh, Scottish and Italian counterparts. Year 13 prop, James Jackson, lined out for Ulster U18 side against an EIRA side from the USA while Hannah Lennon played for the Ulster U16 side also against EIRA.
What a summer! What an incredible collection of achievements from a most impressive group of athletes and role models! Floreat Dunum!
