The head of St Swithun’s has been selected to represent England in the Age Group Masters running team, comprising athletes aged 35 and over.
Jane Gandee will represent her country against the other home nations at the 10K Great Bristol Run in September, where she will be joined by the school’s head of tennis, Paul Boyd-Leslie.
The pair qualified following their performances at the 26.2 Road Runners Club’s Valentine’s 10k in February, where Jane Gandee won the women’s V50 category in a time of 39:26 and Boyd-Leslie came third in the men’s event with 35:26.
“Neither Paul nor I were champion athletes when we were younger, so we hope that this relatively late success shows that it is always possible to improve,” said Gandee.
“We both love our sport and the energy that it gives us, so we hope that seeing us out running around school and the streets of Winchester will encourage everyone at St Swithun’s to find a form of exercise that they enjoy.”
Prior to being selected to compete for her country, Gandee’s most high-profile sporting venture was running the 33-mile St Swithun’s Way to raise money for girls in care.
From the archive: We had a lengthy, illuminating chat with Jane Gandee when we visited St Swithun’s in 2019
