Olympic Gold Comes To Cardiff

Students at Howell’s School, Llandaff (GDST) were thrilled and excited to have a Rio 2016 Olympic Gold Medal—and medalist—at their school at the start of term. Welsh sailor Hannah Mills, who won the Gold in the women’s 470 sailing event with her partner Saskia Clarke, visited her old school on the 8th and 9th of September.

Hannah, who left Howell’s in 2006, kept an audience of 400 students, parents, staff and school governors rapt at the annual Prize Giving ceremony as she told them about her journey from Cardiff to Rio. Bright and early the next morning, she was back at school again in time for assembly, fielding questions and answers from both Junior and Senior School students about her time at Howell’s, her sailing career, and her plans for the future. The Junior School girls were especially excited to get to hold – and even try on! – an Olympic Gold medal.

Howell’s School Principal, Sally Davis, said, “We are all enormously proud of everything that Hannah has achieved in the ten years since she left Howell’s, and it’s been wonderful to have her back at school so that we could celebrate her Olympic success with her.”

Hannah’s mum, Fiona, who is a PE teacher at Howell’s, was in Rio to celebrate with her daughter, a moment captured during the live broadcast of the race, and seen by millions of people around the world as the Team GB duo sailed right up to the beach to greet their loved ones.