Olympic medallist honoured to re-open school sports hall

December 4, 2015

An Olympic silver medallist felt “privileged” to watch the next generation of female athletes in action when he officially re-opened a school’s revamped sports hall.

Old Monmothian, Lord Colin Moynihan, returned to Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls on Friday – 26 years after he first opened the sports hall.

The ex Sports Minister and latterly chairman of the British Olympic Association watched pupils from Inglefield House using the new climbing wall and the School’s top netballers, including Evie O’Connor who has been selected to play for Wales, on the upgraded flooring.

He then unveiled the plaque to celebrate the facility’s complete makeover.

“I was here when the sports hall opened and none of you were even born yet,” former Olympic rower Lord Moynihan told the girls.

“Twenty-six years later and I’m here to re-open it.

“It looks fantastic.

“It’s so good to see a sports facility that has been upgraded.

“All the talent of the future is in here – to see some of the netball players, the head of rowing and those of you at national sports level is a great honour.

“I’m an Old Boy of Monmouth School, so to see such good quality facilities here is fantastic.

“Sport is about training and putting the hours in, but ultimately it’s about enjoyment.

“This school has a reputation which is right up there with the very, very best in sport.

“To have that reputation and such a wide range of sports is very important.

“It’s just a privilege for me to see the next generation coming through.”