A WORLD champion kick boxer is the latest to join a school’s exhaustive hall of fame as students past and present succeed in elite sport.
Year 7 student Phoebe English took the world title in the U35kg age 10-13 category during the International Combat Organisation competition staged in Birmingham.
The 12-year-old, of Normanby, took up the sport five years ago and is a member of the Impact College at South Bank.
Kick boxing bouts comprise two 1.5 minute rounds with points awarded for a variety of moves. “I benefit from having long arms and legs which help me score against my opponents and I’m also quite good at spring back kicks,” she said.
“It’s not an Olympic sport at the moment but if it does ever qualify I would love to represent my country. I started competing because my brother was involved in the sport and it feels great to be a world champion.”
Head of sport Darren Beattie said: “Phoebe is a worthy member of our rapidly expanding hall of fame. The school really is blessed with an enviable reputation for turning out committed, dedicated and talented athletes who represent their sport nationally and internationally.”
Year 11 student Emma Brown, 16, of Stokesley, plays football for England U16s and Middlesbrough Ladies, and as well as being a talented footballer, also plays cricket for Yorkshire and represents the school in netball, hockey, athletics, cross country, rounders and tennis.
Year 13 student Josh Allen, 18, of Nunthorpe, took gold in his favourite discipline of 800m in the Northern Indoor Championships and is a Team England bronze medallist from the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas last year.
With a personal best of 1.50.5, he is under the constant scrutiny of national scouts as he strives to improve is 11th place ranking among U20s athletes across the country.
A member of Middlesbrough Mandale Athletics Club Josh, who is also studying A levels at Stokesley School with a view to reading bio-medicine at university, and took part in the National Indoor Track Championships, staged at Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield, in January.
Former student Ryan Drury, 21, of Stokesley, was a member of the Team GB gymnastics and was selected to train in Lilleshall, Shropshire, with the tumbling squad and competed on the international stage.
Year 13 student and Middlesbrough Mandale athlete Ben Bergstrand, 17, of Great Ayton, continues to compete at the highest level in fell running.
Jonathan Helm, 20, of Stokesley, played football for England U17s and Middlesbrough.
Old boy Charlie Tanfield, 21, of Great Ayton, was part of the World Championship Team GB cycling quartet that won World Team Pursuit gold this month. He is part of the Commonwealth Games squad that will compete on the Gold Coast for Team England.
His brother Harry Tanfield is also part of the World Championship Team GB cycling squad and will join him at the Commonwealth Games with his brother.
Keeping the the Tanfield brothers company at the Commonwealth Games will be former student Frazer Clacherty. He is part of the Team GB mountain biking squad. He took part in the UCI MTB World Championships last year and is the current British Champion qualifying him to compete at the Gold Coast event.
Will Muir, 21, of Grinkle, North Yorkshire, continues to make his mark as fly half and centre with Team Northumbria, linked to Newcastle Falcons, and has represented England in international rugby 7s.
Cricketer James Weighell, 24, of Stokesley, bats and bowls for Durham enjoying considerable success in the professional game.