Team GB diver and former Uxbridge College student inspires young women

Team GB diver and former Uxbridge College student Georgia Ward inspired young women with a talk and skills demo at the recent This Girl Can event.

Georgia, 21, who is aiming for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, talked about training and competing as a platform diver and about her time at Uxbridge College as a student on the BTEC National Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science. Georgia, who has trained with Olympic Medalist Tom Daley, has won a series of medals in both junior and senior events in World and European championships.

She also demonstrated diving techniques on a trampoline in the College sports hall, to the group of girls from West London schools  Bishopshalt and Haydon in Hillingdon borough, and Nower Hill and Whitmore High in Harrow. The event also included presentations by gymnastic coach Kerrie Hodges and tennis coach Sophie Conway, and a chance for the students to try out rugby, korfball and lacrosse. Outstanding participation awards were also presented at the end of the day.

Uxbridge College Sports Lecturer, Eloise Newman, who organised the College event, one of a series which took place across the country, said: “It was a real honour to have Georgia Ward back at Uxbridge College and hear about both her challenges and successes and her hopes for Tokyo 2020 – she was a real inspiration to all our visiting students. The talks by Kerrie Hodges and Sophie Conway and the sports and educational tasters also provided a great way forward into new sporting experiences and opportunities.”

This Girl Can, which is funded by The National Lottery and developed by Sport England, is a national campaign to encourage women to take part in group and individual sport and physical activity.