Sporting talents exercise their academic minds

Sian Morgan celebrated picking up the three A grades she needed to secure a place at Edinburgh University studying medicine yesterday.

She has attended Bradford Grammar School and swam with the Brownlee brothers while they were both students there.

Now the 18-year-old, from Ilkley, is looking to continue her education while competing for her country.

She is already on a national programme for future Olympians and has represented England in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. She has her sights on making her mark on both the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Yesterday she discovered she had achieved three As in maths, chemistry and biology.

She said:“ It has been tough combining my school work with the training.

“I don’t feel like I have had a social life.

“I do nine sessions a week probably about 20 hours and also a couple of hours in the gym. I am also competing about once a month and have just got back from the American nationals.

“I have been swimming since I was 11 or 12 and representing Great Britain for the juniors since I was 15. I got to the semi finals at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi but I hope to go further in Glasgow as I will be a little bit older.

“It has been inspiring seeing what the Brownlees have achieved.”

Sian was not the only sports star achieving exam success across schools in Yorkshire on A-level results morning. Leeds Rhinos star Stevie Ward celebrated picking up an A and two Bs in his A-levels at Woodkirk Academy in Tingley,

The rugby league player, who is set to be part of the squad that heads to Wembley next week for the Carnegie Challenge Cup Final against Warrington, gained an A in physical education and Bs in English Literature and English Language.

His twin sister Rachael also had cause to celebrate as she achieved two A*s an A and a B to secure her offer of a place from Newcastle University to study medicine.

It is a busy week for the rugby league star who will now travel to France with the Rhinos to face Catalan Dragons at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.

He will be supported by his sister and his parents who are also travelling to the game.

“I am really pleased with my results,” he said.

“It’s been hard work studying for my A-levels along with my commitments for the Rhinos and the staff at Woodkirk Academy have been great with me.

“I would like to thank everyone there for the support they have given me over the last two years.”

England netballer Amy Potter was another Yorkshire school student who has managed to balance sporting and academic success over the past two years.

The Sheffield High School pupil discovered she had achieved As in biology and maths a B in chemistry along with another A grade in physical education at AS level.

She has combined classroom success with winning successive European gold medals for her country on the netball court.

Amy had represented England as Under 17 in her first year of sixth form helping the national team to victory before being selected for the Under 19 England team in 2012.

This year she travelled to Northern Ireland for the European championships and helped that team to achieve gold as well.