guy rogers and ollie streeter

Congratulations to Guy Rogers and Ollie Streeter, who have both been awarded Harlequins contracts at the end of their journey at Gordon's School to continue their rugby career either with a full time academy contract or a linked University contract. On top of this, Ollie was also called up to the England U20 squad.

jayda pechova

Jayda continues to be a rising start in the world of netball. She was selected for the Future Roses programme for the first time for the 2022-23 season having impressed internationally at U19 and U21, helping England win the Europe Netball title in both age groups and as part of the England squad in the Fast5 World Netball series. She also made her Netball Super League debut for London Pulse and was shortlisted in the top ten from 1,000 young athletes for the SportsAid One-to-Watch Award and shortlisted for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award.

tom golder 

Congratulations to Tom who has been selected for the U20 Wales Six Nation Squad. Tom, was amongst the first five to join the DiSE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence Programme) under the school's partnership with Harlequins and joined the West London club's senior squad in September 2022. When he left Gordon's he did so with a contract with Harlequins Academy. 

Theo currie

Congratulations to Theo has been selected for the Scotland squad U20 Rugby Six Nations. In 2023, as a Gordon's student, Theo joined Harlequins and was also selected for the Senior Squad. When he left Gordon's he did so with a contract with Harlequins Academy. 

Aidan thompson

After Gordon's Aidan studied Aerospace engineering at Swansea University and is now currently studying Data Science MSc at the University of Surrey. During his time at Swansea University in 2016, he started rowing and later was accepted into the Great Britain Start Rowing Program with the centre in Cardiff (now the Great Britain Performance Development Academy). After Graduating Swansea in 2019 he moved to the Twickenham Centre as a full time athlete and in February 2023, following a successful trailing process, was invited to train alongside the senior team, then officially invited into the team in April 2023. 

Aidan concluded the 2022/23 season being selected to represent Great Britain at the World Championships and is now training for the Paris Olympic trials in early 2024. 

Results 2022-23 season:

• World Championships M2x: 25th 
• World Cup 3: 12th 
• World Cup 2: 7th
• Henley Royal Regatta (Double Sculls Challenge Cup): Finalist
• Duisburg: 3rd (M2x) and 10th (M1x)
• British Universities and College regatta: 1st (M1x)
• 4s Head: 4th Overall (3rd M4x)

Ellie boatman

Ellie left Gordon's School in 2015. A Kensington House member, she excelled in a wide variety of sports whilst at the school, captaining the Hockey team, riding in the Equestrian team and playing for the Netball team. After leaving Gordon's, she attended the University of Southampton where she achieved a BSc in Economics. After University, Ellie started playing in the Women's Premier 15s for Saracens and soon moved onto Richmond RFC playing consistently for the first team. Ellie is now a professional rugby player currently playing for Great Britain 7's on the World Series and Harlequins Women in 15's. 

Ellie was in the Great Britain's women's rugby sevens team that claimed gold at the European Games 2023 in Poland to secure their place at the Paris Olympics 2024. 

henry hughes

Henry Hughes played in the winning Navy Team at Twickenham in the Army v Navy fixture during his third season with Royal Navy rugby. Henry is currently completing his GP training in Bristol whilst working with the Royal Navy Reserves, after transferring from the Regulars in August 2022. This was the first time since 2010 the Navy have won the Interservices competition and one Henry describes as an incredible experience, underpinned by a lot of hard work by the team. 

Cameron and michael mcdonald

Gordonian brothers Cameron McDonald and Michael McDonald have become the first pair of brothers from Army Rugby in the modern era to represent an international team at the same time in April 2023. The Brothers started for Germany in their Rugby Europe Championship ranking match against Netherlands. The following month in May 2023, they played at Twickenham in the Army v Navy fixture where during this match Cameron scored a hat-trick.

CALEB ASHWORTH AND TOM GOLDER

On opposing sides for the England/Wales U19 Six Nations game but the two of them – Caleb Ashworth and Tom Golder - share a history and common bond, since meeting at Gordon’s on the Harlequins/Gordon’s Partnership Programme. In September 2022 the two joined ten other Academy players in the Harlequins Senior Squad and are now playing for their countries in the Six Nations.

HanNah Russell OBE

Hannah Russell has been swimming competitively since she was seven years old. Initially, Hannah swam at Woking Swimming Club but later moved across to Guildford City Swimming Club where the training requirements are higher with athletes training for 16 hours per week. The routine worked and Hannah achieved selection to the UK Nationals in 2009 where she competed with the top 25 swimmers in her age category. Her success is all the more exceptional considering Hannah is visually impaired. Hannah uses stroke counting and the large black painted lines to navigate where she is in the pool. Hannah’s performances were noticed by the British disability swimming management where they awarded Hannah with a UK sport 'World class training programme' contract in January 2011. These 'World class programmes' are awarded only to athletes (able bodied as well as disabled) who have been identified as potential Olympians and in some cases expected to win medals. Hannah picked up a silver and two bronze medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games swimming finals. An incredible and well-earned lifetime achievement. All staff and students at Gordon’s were delighted when Hannah returned to the school to show off her medals with ITN London News.

Hannah, competed in the International Paralympic World Championships in Montreal in 2013, winning Gold in the S12 100m Backstroke, setting a new British Record in the process. In total, Hannah added five medals to Great Britain’s tally, winning Silver Medals in both the 50m and 100m Freestyle and adding a third in the 100m Butterfly. Completing her collection was a Bronze in the 400m Freestyle.

Hannah also competed in the 2016 Rio Paralympics, where she won Gold in both the S12 100m Backstroke and theS12 50m Freestyle, and also won Bronze in the S13 100m Freestyle. 

At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Russell won the gold medal in the S12 Women's 100m Backstroke and a bronze medal in the S12 Women's 100m Freestyle, also competing in the S13 Women's 50m Freestyle.

Russell was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to swimming.

 

Eboni Usoro-Brown (nee Beckford-Chambers)

Eboni attended Gordon's from 2001 to 2004. She is an internationally recognised England netball star and has a number of sporting achievements to her name. She was an integral part of the World Netball Series winning squad in 2011 and Player of the Series too, helping the England team come home with a bronze medal. In 2018 representing England in the Commonwealth Games, she returned with a Gold medal.

She also spent four years of her sporting career playing in the ANZ Netball Championships in Perth, Australia for West Coast Fever club. Eboni now plays alongside her Bath teammates.

Eboni is not only a huge netball talent but also works as a qualified lawyer. In her spare time, she visits schools to represent the sport and to give tips and advice to future netball stars.

Jake Ball

Jake left Gordon’s in 2007 and his family moved to Australia where he was playing for Western Australia Under 19’s at cricket. Jake was also an exceptional rugby player at Gordon’s and played County rugby for Surrey. While he was in Australia he discovered his passion for the sport again. Jake played for the Llanelli Scarlets in the RaboDirect Pro 12. Jake is seen as a rising star and was spotted by top Welsh regional team the Scarlets whilst in Australia, who signed him on a three-year deal in 2012. He made his professional debut for the team on 15th September 2012, coming on as a 61st minute replacement in the team's victory over Connacht in the Pro 12 Tournament. Jake is eligible to play for the Wales National team, due to his father being from Colwyn Bay, and achieved his first cap for the team in the RBS Six Nations against Ireland in February 2014.

Jake, 33, left Scarlets and quit international rugby at the end of 2020-21 to return to his family in Australia. He won 50 caps for Wales and played 133 games over nine seasons for the Llanelli-based region. Jake is currently living in Japan playing for his new club Green Rockets Tokatsu.

SAM BANNISTER

Sam left Gordon’s in 2014, he was Head Boy in 2013. Sam was a part of Khartoum House. Sam won Silver for team GB in Sabaudia in the World Rowing Cup III in the Men's Four in June 2021.

Steve Brown

Steve left Gordon’s in 2005 after spending seven years at the school. Steve was a part of Khartoum House and was amongst the Gordon’s team that won the County golf schools competition. Steve played an integral part in the Great Britain and Ireland’s team that won the Walker Cup in 2011, the first since 2003, and is currently playing on the professional golf challenge tour.

Jonathan Henley

Jon left Gordon’s School in 2010 after five years. Jon was in Khartoum House and was a regular in the school first team in Year 11. When he left school, he joined Reading FC on an apprenticeship for two years. He played for the Under 18 team in these two years, before signing a two year full-time contract when he turned 18. Jon is one of four professional goalkeepers at Reading where he regularly turns out for the Under 21 side. On the weekend of 9th March 2013, he was on the bench for the first team for their game against Everton. 

Jake Sheppard 

Jake left Gordon's in 2013 and played for Scotland Under 17 football team in March 2014 in their Euro Tournament. Jake scored the second goal in a 3-1 win over Belguim. Jake went onto play for Reading FC and now plays for Wealdstone FC.

To see more of our notable Gordonians, please visit our Gordonian website here.