Eastbourne College Secures Historic Back-to-Back Double Gold at the Olympic Pool
Eastbourne College has made history at the independent schools' swimming relay nationals securing back-to-back double gold in the boys competition and double silver in the girls.
The Eastbourne College boys swimming team has made history at the Olympic Pool in London, achieving back-to-back double gold victories in the freestyle and medley competitions at the prestigious Bath Cup - the independent schools’ swimming national relays.
The Bath Cup’s Aldenham Cup (freestyle relay) dates back to 1982, when Eastbourne College were the first-ever winners. With further victories in 2007, 2008 and now in 2024 and 2025, the College has won the cup five times – twice more than any other school. The Dunelm Cup (medley relay), introduced in 2002, has now been secured by Eastbourne College four times following wins in 2009, 2013 and consecutive victories in 2024 and 2025 - more than any other school.
The boys' double triumph makes Eastbourne College only the second school in 40 years to win both trophies in the same year and back-to-back. Their victory was sealed in a thrilling medley final, won on the final touch - a remarkable display of determination and skill. The boys also set two new national record times in the process.
The girls team also delivered an outstanding performance, securing double silver in both their finals. This marks a significant improvement on last year’s performance and highlights their rapid progress on the national stage, especially with a young team who will all return next year.
The success comes just weeks after the squad benefitted from training sessions with four England and ex-Olympic swimmers and coaches, including a virtual session with Olympic coach Mel Marshall. Their input provided a timely confidence boost ahead of the team’s outstanding performances.
Director of Sport, Mike Harrison, praised the swimmers for their dedication,
'This is an incredible achievement for our swimmers and reflects the hours of commitment they put in each week during early morning and evening sessions while balancing their academic work. To see the boys make history with back-to-back golds and the girls take double silver is a very proud moment for the College, the swimmers, and the staff. Their teamwork, consistency and effort have been evident throughout the year, and they deserve all the praise.'
Head of Swimming, Jess Simmonds, added, '
Our swimmers have shown remarkable discipline and determination and their results speak for themselves. The final touch in the boys medley was one of the most exciting finishes we’ve ever seen. The whole squad should be immensely proud of what they have accomplished.'
The squad now turns its focus to the Schools Super League Finals on Friday, where they are ranked as the number one seed from the four qualifying rounds in the South-East, out of 32 competing schools.
Eastbourne College continues to develop exceptional athletes, combining elite coaching with a strong team ethos. We look forward to seeing what the team can achieve in the next stage of their journey.
March 2025