The UK School Games National Finals took place at Loughborough University last weekend, where SMC student Archie Goodburn represented Scotland South and East to win gold in the Boys 200m Buttefly event.
Archie (S5) produced a brilliant swim to cross the line in 2.08.88, and also won a pair of relay silver medals to cap off a brilliant meet.
Of his efforts, Archie commented: “It’s a great feeling. I’ve just started the season so to be just six seconds outside my personal best from last year I’m pretty happy! I was feeling good in the warm up, but after that 4x200m not so much, so to come away with two silvers and a gold I’m happy. I’m looking to hopefully qualify for the European Juniors at the British Open in April now."
Archie also said that “[My] school are supportive of sport and they give me time off to catch up. It’s the same across all sports so that’s been a great help.”
It was a fantastic meet for the Scottish swimmers, as Archie commented: “It’s definitely infectious. If you see one of your teammates win a medal you’re like ‘if they can do it, I can do it’. In the relays last night there was a great team spirit and we all came together to win two silvers, so I’m just really happy.”
The School Games are an integrated multi-sport event for the UK’s most talented school-age athletes, with around 1,600 athletes competing across 12 sports, seven of which included disability disciplines. Previous competitors include Paralympic champions Hannah Cockroft, Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock, Olympic champion Adam Peaty, and GB sprinters Adam Gemili and Dina Asher-Smith. A number of ESMS athletes competed across events in Swimming, Table Tennis, Hockey, and Athletics.
The four-day event, supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, are a springboard for future athletes with 56 of the 382 athletes representing Team GB at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio having competed at the School Games. Well done, Archie!
