Olympic Selection

Congratulations to former pupil, figure skater Lilah Fear, representing Team GB at this year’s Winter Olympics.

The four-time British national champion moved to London from the US at the age of two and took up skating at the age of five. Lilah joined South Hampstead at the age of 11, juggling her skating commitments with her academic studies, as well as being a Music Scholar. In the Sixth Form, she was appointed Deputy Head Girl and went on to study Psychology at McGill University in Canada.

Lilah and her skate partner Lewis Gibson will be making their Winter Olympic debut, dancing to a Kiss medley for their rhythm dance, before a free dance to songs from The Lion King. Britain have not won a medal in figure skating since Torvill and Dean came out of retirement and won bronze at the 1994 Games in Lillehammer. Reflecting on the impact of the duo’s triumph at the 1984 Winter Olympics, almost 38 years ago, she says:

“I’ve watched it too many times to count. It’s such an iconic and legendary performance.  It marks such an amazing time in history for so many people who were there at the time watching it, tuning in. They paved the way for us in ice dance, and it’s a true honour to be a part of this legacy in some small way. We really want to achieve as much as we possibly can…  we have huge goals in this sport.”

PE Teacher, Ms Cooke, cited in the Evening Standard and reflecting on Lilah’s school days at South Hampstead, commented: “Lilah was just very committed, she spent an awful lot of time training, she was great at juggling those commitments… She was one of the girls you could always rely on. Netball, cross-country, athletics, she was a real all-rounder.”

Update: Lilah and Lewis finished 10th overall following two solid skates in the rhythm dance (10th) and free dance (9th).