A question of sport
Over the years, a number of decorated sporting champions have passed through King’s and GKT’s doors. From gold-medal-winning Olympians and record-breaking athletes, to renowned commentators and international footballers, the list of King’s and GKT alumni who have gone on to achieve sporting greatness after graduating is extensive – scroll through the slideshow below to find out more.
Our sporting timeline
Dina Asher-Smith
BA History, 2017
The fastest British woman in recorded history, Dina Asher-Smith holds the British records in the 100 and 200 metres. She has competed at Olympic, World and European athletics championships, and is the current 200m World Champion. Dina is one of the most recent additions to the Strand windows.
- 2019
- Gold Medal 200m World Athletics Championships (Doha)
- Silver Medal 100m World Athletics Championships (Doha)
- Silver Medal 4x100m World Athletics Championships (Doha)
- 2018
- Gold Medal 200m European Championships (Berlin)
- Gold Medal 100m European Championships (Berlin)
- Gold Medal 4x100m European Championships (Berlin)
- Gold Medal 4x100m Commonwealth Games (Queensland)
- 2017
- Silver Medal 4x100m World Athletics Championships (London)
- 2016
- Bronze Medal 4x100m Olympics (Rio de Janeiro)
- Gold Medal 200m European Championships (Amsterdam)
Dame Katherine Grainger DBE
PhD Law, 2013
Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, Katherine Grainger holds five Olympic medals. Six-time World Champion, she is also the current chair of UK Sport and Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University.
- Silver Medal Double Sculls Olympics 2016 (Rio de Janeiro)
- Gold Medal Double Sculls Olympics 2012 (London)
- Gold Medal Double Sculls World Athletics Championships 2011 (Bled)
- Gold Medal Double Sculls World Athletics Championships 2010 (Karapiro)
- Silver Medal Single Scull World Athletics Championships 2009 (Poznań)
- Silver Medal Quadruple Sculls Olympics 2008 (Beijing)
- Gold Medal Quadruple Sculls World Athletics Championships 2007 (Munich)
- Gold Medal Quadruple Sculls World Athletics Championships 2006 (Eton)
- Gold Medal Quadruple Sculls World Athletics Championships 2005 (Gifu)
- Silver Medal Coxless pair Olympics 2004 (Athens)
- Gold Medal Coxless pair World Athletics Championships 2003 (Milan)
- Silver Medal Quadruple Sculls Olympics 2000 (Sydney)
Paul Bennett MBE
MSc Mathematics, 2012
British rower and Olympic gold medallist.
- Gold Medal Eights Olympics 2016 (Rio de Janeiro)
- Silver Medal Eights European Championships 2015 (Poznań)
- Gold Medal Eights World Athletics Championships 2015 (Aiguebelette)
- Gold Medal Eights World Athletics Championships 2014 (Amsterdam)
Kieran West MBE
MA War Studies, 2005
British rower and Olympic gold medallist.
- Silver Medal Coxed Four World Athletics Championships 2003 (Milan)
- Gold Medal Coxed Four World Athletics Championships 2002 (Seville)
- Gold Medal Eights Olympics 2000 (Sydney)
- Silver Medal Eights World Athletics Championships 1999 (St. Catherine’s)
Frances Houghton MBE
BA Hispanic Studies, 2003
Olympic rower Frances Houghton is a four-time World Champion and three-time Olympic silver medallist.
- Gold Medal Quadruple Sculls World Athletics Championships 2010 (Karapiro)
- Silver Medal Eights Olympics 2016 (Rio de Janeiro)
- Silver Medal Quadruple Sculls Olympics 2016 (Rio de Janeiro)
- Silver Medal Quadruple Sculls Olympics 2008 (Beijing)
- Gold Medal Quadruple Sculls World Athletics Championships 2007 (Munich)
- Gold Medal Quadruple Sculls World Athletics Championships 2006 (Eton)
- Gold Medal Quadruple Sculls World Athletics Championships 2005 (Gifu)
- Silver Medal Quadruple Sculls Olympics 2004 (Athens)
Jayne Ludlow MBE
BSc Physiotherapy, 2002
Current manager of the Wales women’s national football team, Jayne Ludlow represented Arsenal ladies for 13 years, becoming their highest goal scorer of all time. Also former captain of the Welsh national team, playing 61 times between 1996 and 2012.
- UEFA Women’s Cup (Arsenal): 2006–07
- FA Women’s Premier League (Arsenal): 2000–01; 2001–02; 2003–04; 2004–05; 2005–06; 2006–07; 2007–08; 2008–09; 2009–10
- FA Women’s Super League (Arsenal): 2010–11; 2011–2012
- FA Women’s Super League Cup (Arsenal): 2010–2011; 2011–2012
- FA Women’s Cup (Arsenal): 2000–01; 2003–04; 2005–06; 2006–07; 2007–08; 2008–09
- Women’s League Cup (Arsenal): 2000–01; 2002–03; 2003–04
- FA Players’ Player of the Year Award: 2000–01; 2002–03; 2003–04
Chris Sheasby
BSc Mathematics, 1989
Former international rugby union player Chris Sheasby won seven caps for England from 1996–97 and played for London Wasps, Harlequins and London Irish.
- 2002 Powergen Cup (London Irish)
- 1993 World Cup Sevens (England)
Joginder Dhillon (Jindi)
LMSSA Medicine, St Thomas’, 1971
Represented Kenya in the Colonial Hockey Team in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
Barry Davies MBE
NC Dentistry, 1959 (Royal Dental Hospital)
Now retired, sports commentator and television presenter Barry Davies covered a wide range of sports during a long career that took him from ITV to a long-standing position at the BBC.
He is best known for his football commentary, but commentated primarily for the BBC’s Olympic coverage, including the opening and closing ceremonies of Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. He was known as the ‘Voice of the Boat Race’ between 1993 and 2004 and has covered more Summer Olympics (12) than any other British broadcaster.
Leigh Richmond (Dick) Roose MM
Medicine, unknown dates
Welsh international goalkeeper Dick Roose, played for numerous professional clubs in the Football League between 1901 and 1912, including Stoke, Everton, Sunderland and Aston Villa. He played 24 times for Wales, and died during The Battle of the Somme in 1916.
- British Home Championship 1907 (Wales)
- Welsh Cup 1900 (Aberystwyth Town)
Major Thomas Harry Gem (known as Harry Gem)
Unknown
Inventor of lawn tennis, Harry Gem founded the Leamington Lawn Tennis Club in 1874, which was the world’s first tennis club.