Ella and Alicia Barrett – St Mary’s Catholic High School
Names: Ella and Alicia Barrett
School: St Mary’s Catholic High School
Age: 17
Year group: Year 13
Area of excellence: Sport- Athletics
Twins Ella and Alicia Barrett are a tour de force in the world of athletics, with both chosen to represent England at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa later this year in September. They also were joint winners of the Derbyshire Times Best Individual Sports Player in the Best in Education Awards recently.
Both girls have attracted SportAid funding. SportsAid helps the next generation of British sports stars by giving them financial support and recognition during the critical early years of their careers. These athletes are typically aged 12 to 18 and are among our brightest hopes for future Olympic and Paralympic success.
Ella, who specialises in the 200m and 300m, was inspired to get into Athletics after watching Dame Kelly Holmes in the 2004 and joined Chesterfield Athletics Club when she was nine years old.
Her sporting achievements include:
- 2014: Sainsbury’s UK School Games, 300m, 1st
- 2014: England Athletics U15 / U17 Championships, 300m, 1st
- 2014: SIAB Schools International, 300m, 1st
- 2014: English Schools Championships, 300m, 1st
- 2014: England Athletics U15 / U17 / U20 Championships, 200m, 2nd
- 2014: England Athletics U15 / U17 / U20 Championships, 300m, 1st
She trains five days a week and hopes to compete for England at the Cardiff International
Sister Alicia was one of 27 athletes selected to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the IAAF World Youth Championships taking place in Cali, Colombia on 15-19 July. She is competing in the 100m hurdles, and has already achieved a UK youth record of 13.46 in one of her heats.
She has been in excellent form so far this season and is unbeaten in her age-group. Alcia’s achievements include:
- 2015: Selected to compete in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa
- 2015: Selected to compete for GB in the World Youth Championships in Columbia in July
- 2014: Northern Indoor and Outdoor Champion
- 2014: English Schools Champion
- 2014: International Schools Champion
- 2013: SIAB, Dublin, U17, 80m hurdles, 1st, 10.99 (wind assisted)
- 2013: AAA England Outdoor Athletics Championships, U17, 80m hurdles, 1st, 10.01
Alicia trains four days a week. She said: “A normal week is very tiring but certainly enjoyable, otherwise I would not put myself through all the pain. Realistically my long-term ambition is to be the best I can be as an athlete, which ultimately means working hard, staying focused and respecting people around me.”
