Mary Hare Sixth Form Student and Alumnus Selected for the 2025 Deaflympics Tokyo Games

We’re proud to announce that Sophie Mernagh, one of our current Sixth Form students, and Oliver Pritchard, a former pupil, have both been selected to represent Great Britain at the 2025 Deaflympics in Tokyo this November.

Sophie, who became the youngest Deaf woman to play for Team GB, will be competing in the women’s football event. Her journey has been inspiring—from nearly quitting the sport to scoring the winning goal in a qualifying match against Poland. Sophie has had to raise her own funds to attend the Games, as government support for Deaf athletes is currently unavailable. She has already surpassed her fundraising target, raising over £4,900 thanks to generous community support.

Joining her in Tokyo is Oliver Pritchard, an alumnus who will be competing in the cycling events. Oliver began training during lockdown and has since become the first-ever deaf professional triathlete, earning podium finishes at European Championships.
Oliver has continued to pursue his passion for sport since leaving school and is now preparing to represent GB on the international stage. His selection is a testament to his dedication and talent, and we’re excited to see him compete. Like Sophie, Oliver is self-funding his participation and is raising £2,000 to cover race fees, accommodation, and equipment. His flights have been generously covered by Sign Video. There is still time to support Oliver via his GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/deaflympics-help-me-race-for-great-britain-in-tokyo - For Instagram users, this link can be found in our profile bio.

We wish both Sophie and Oliver the very best as they prepare to showcase their skills and represent the Deaf community with pride at the Deaflympics! - You can find out more about the latest news from the Deaflympics by going to this website: http://www.deaflympicsgb2025.co.uk/