School recognises its top sporting starlets

Hamilton Colleges sporting talent: back row (l-r) Luke Wilson, Emily Sandilands, Megan Ruddy, James MacKenzie, front row (l-r) Stephen Whorlow, Blair Kennedy and Euan Weir, Not pictured - Dexter Patterson

The stars of the future met an Olympian sporting hero when swimmer Michael Jamieson, who won silver London 2012 handed out prizes at the school’s annual sports dinner.

Michael, who retired in 2016 and now runs the Michael Jamieson Swim Academy, said: “These amazingly accomplished young people are a credit to their school and their trainers. They have all shown the qualities needed for success – dedication, determination and consummate skill.”

Hamilton College’s Sporting Achievers 2019 were:

J6 - Euan Weir (Airdrie), who trains at Airdrie and Monklands Swimming Club. He won five gold, four silver and one bronze out of 12 events at West Districts swimming competition.

S1 - Stephen Whorlow (Lanark), who trains at Kirkwoods Martial Arts Academy, Blantyre. He competed at the GMS XXI Open Championships at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility and won bronze for sparring and team patterns.

S3 - Luke Wilson (Uddingston), who trains at David Lloyd, Hamilton. He won an under-14 tennis tournament at the David Lloyd club as well as an adult mixed doubles tournament.

Blair Kennedy (Cambuslang), who trains with Lifestyle Eastfield Swimming Club, Rutherglen. He qualified for the Nationals and will compete in backstroke and butterfly.

S4 - Dexter Patterson (Bothwell), who trains with Forza Racing. He secured victory in the second round of WSK Super Master Series at South Garda Karting and was the Junior CIK-FIA World Champion 2017.

Megan Ruddy (Kirkmuirhill), who trains with East Kilbride Swimming Team. She won two golds, a silver and a bronze at the Pre-Nationals time trial, and qualified for Scottish Nationals for fifth year in a row.

Emily Sandilands (Kilsyth), who trains with Palacerigg Field Archers. She won gold with a recurve style bow at the Scottish Indoor Field Archery Championships. She also set a new Scottish record for both the hunter and field rounds and won gold at the Scottish Junior Outdoor Field Archery Championships.

S5 - James MacKenzie (Bothwell), who trains at Sit Ayuthaya-Hamilton Thai Boxing. He is Scottish Thai Boxing Association Scottish Champion at 16 years and the UK Muay Thai Federation UK Open Champion at 67 kilos.

Hamilton College principal Tom McPhail said: “Everyone in the Hamilton College family is extremely proud of the heights that these pupils have attained in their chosen disciplines.”