Congratulations to 5th Year Kate Derwin who has been shortlisted for the “Her Sport” Young Athlete of the Year. “Her Sport” is centred on bringing the latest women’s sports news and celebrating the successes of our nation’s female sports stars. They aim to inspire more female participation in sport, increase opportunity and level the playing field for future generations.
Kate has been shortlisted as a result of her fantastic equestrian achievements to date. She was crowned European Champion when she claimed the Gold Medal in the U18 (Junior) competition at the European Youth Show Jumping Championships at Zuidwolde in The Netherlands in July. An incredible performance saw Kate finish with five clear rounds during the course of the week-long competition, including a double clear round in the final. Holding the overnight lead, Kate was last to jump in the deciding round knowing a fence down or even a time fault would see her drop down the leader board. She kept her cool to complete a flawless performance and claim the individual Gold Medal to add to the team bronze she won when part of the GAIN Irish U18 team.
This result saw Kate add to her European medal collection having previously won team gold and individual silver at the European U16 (Pony) Championships in 2017 while she was also part of the GAIN Irish team that won U18 team bronze in 2018.
Not only did Kate keep her composure in the arena but she also managed to sing the Irish National Anthem on the podium after collecting her gold medal.
All in OLB have been casting their votes for Kate. You too can cast your vote by logging on to our school’s social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and following the link provided. The winners will be crowned on January 31st and we wish Kate every success.