Old Brightonian Brings Bronze Home

As the spotlight shone on the 4x400m relay final at a cauldronish Stade de France, Team GB added another medal to their already impressive collection by finishing in third place.

A part of that medal-winning team was Old Brightonian Toby Harries - a pupil of School House from 2012-17 - who became the latest in a long line of talented Olympians produced by Brighton College since the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896. The list includes:

Major Josiah George Ritchie (1887-88)

Tennis champion Ritchie was a three-time medallist at the 1908 London Olympics, winning a gold, silver, and a bronze medal. He achieved the bronze in the men’s indoor singles, the silver in the men’s doubles, and the gold in the men’s singles. 

He was the last British player to win an Olympic medal in a singles even until Andy Murray won Gold in the 2012 games. 

George Colin Ratsey (St. 1921-24)  

After Brighton College, Colin became a sailor and sail maker. He competed in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, winning a silver in the Star Class. 

Geoffrey Vyvyan Arundell Seccombe (Du. 1921-22) 

Geoffrey was the son of Walter Hett, who had served Brighton College as a schoolmaster, and later as Head Master, and was educated here. After school he became a talented fencer. He competed in the team foil event at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. They were sadly eliminated in the second round of the competition.

The United States took gold in this men’s relay, narrowly beating Botswana’s silver medallists to the line in Olympic record time. They were both too good for Team GB's cohort but, as they take to the podium in an arena emblazoned with Union Jacks under the bright white lights, this is an achievement and memory that is to live on for many years to come.