Vaughan Alumna Wins Bronze Olympic Medal

Published Monday 12 August 2024

Congratulations to Vaughan alumna Georgia Bell (OV 2012) who has won a bronze Olympic medal for Team GB and achieved a new national record in the women’s 1500m at her Olympic debut in Paris 2024. She also became the Vaughan's first representative at the Games since Garry Herbert in 1992.

Having been a prodigious junior runner and gone to university in America to participate in an athletics programme, a series of injuries led to her abandoning a promising track career in 2017. Lockdown prompted her to start running again in 2022 with a park run in Bushy Park, south-west London. From there she rediscovered her love for athletics and started competing in duathlon events. And now, at the age of 30, she is an Olympic 1500m medallist.

Georgia was born in Paris and in an Instagram post before the final race, she wrote: 

"Between quitting & coming back, working full time and only breaking through this year, the chances were so unlikely.

"So the fact that I’m here, I truly feel like it’s all meant to be and that my whole life has led to this moment.

"Anything can happen in an Olympic final and this season has showed me what’s possible when you race without limits."

In a thrilling race, Georgia achieved her personal best and a new national record of 3 minutes 52.61 seconds, the 3rd fastest European and 11th fastest all time 1500m by a woman, winning Team GB their 59th medal of the Games. 

Georgia's coaching team, Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows, believe this is just the start for Georgia and that she can emulate Kelly Holmes by winning gold in Los Angeles.

Painter commented: “She is 30 but Kelly Holmes was 34 when she did the double gold and she is very lightly raced, she has had a lot of years out of the sport so her body is not hanging on like some people her age.”

Meadows, even thinks she can get close to Faith Kipyegon’s world record, adding: “3:49.0 is a little bit in front of her 3:52, but never say never for anything.”

Georgia continues to inspire our pupils and we are so proud of her achievements. We can't wait to see what she achieves next. Well done, Georgia!