Reaching to the Top of UK High Jump

Congratulations to Esher student Carmen, who finished 2024 on a high, ranking No.1 in the U17 category and an impressive 10th overall in the UK.

Training for the past two and a half years at Kingston and Poly AC, Carmen made a name for herself when she became the U17 English Schools champion. A week later, she triumphed at the Home International (SIAB) in Cardiff, clearing a personal best of 1.80m and earning the award for the best female performance in the England team. It was her first time competing in England kit and she hopes to repeat it this year.

This year, she has already won the London Indoor Games and finished second at the Southern Indoor U20 Championships—results that currently places her No.2 in the UK U20 rankings.

Carmen, who came to us from Notre Dame School, is now gearing up for one of the biggest competitions of her season—the Keely Klassic in Birmingham during half term. At this championship, three world records are expected to be attempted, including one by Olympic silver medallist, Keely Hodgkinson. Adding to the excitement, Carmen has also been invited to compete at the European U20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, later this summer.

Balancing her training with academics, Carmen is currently studying English Literature, Psychology, and Classics A Levels. She is part of the Roll of Sporting Excellence programme at Esher.

Though she’s unsure about her long-term career path, her ambitions in athletics are clear—she hopes to compete in more international events this year and has set her sights on the Commonwealth Games. Carmen is undoubtedly a name to watch in British athletics.