Kent Sport is proud to cast a spotlight on fourth year undergraduate Sports Scholar Stephen Simmons who represents the scheme as a multi-event athlete, primarily competing in Decathlon (10 Track and Field events) which ruins over two days of competition. Stephen is in his fourth year as a Kent and Medway Medical School (KMMS) student who was the first Sports Scholar to represent the new faculty since its inception in 2021.
As well as squeezing in training and preparation for 10 different athletics events, Stephen is currently on placement details as a fourth year medical student at KMMS placed at the Maidstone Tunbridge Wells (MTW) NHS trust. Currently on his paediatrics rotation, Stephen was invited to compete and found time to head to Sweden to represent England in the Swedish National Combined Events Championships.
Following an excellent all-round performance at the England national championships in Sheffield in January this year, Stephen came 3rd in the competition with a score of 5468. Stephen was really pleased with this achievement as it was his first national medal at a senior level and because of his podium placement it led to selection to represent England in Sweden in February.
Stephen commented on his trip to Sweden and the indoor competition track called Sätra, Sätra Friidrottshall in Stockholm…
“Travelling to Sweden was an experience, it really added to the excitement of the whole competition. But practically the travel was useful, ensuring I did all my kit checks in the UK before boarding and understanding how to travel with equipment like a pole vault pole on an aeroplane! The rest of the England team were great, there were 2 others from Tonbridge where I train including my training partner Lewis Church who also competing in the Men’s Senior Heptathlon. The event was an indoor combined Heptathlon (7 Events), a competition that runs over 2 days. The 1st day starts with 60m Sprint, Long Jump, Shot Putt and High Jump. The 2nd day consists of 60 Meter Hurdles, Pole Vault and 1000m Run. My competition went well with consistent scores across the events placing me 7th overall in a competitive field with 5389 points. The overall weekend was great and I have so many takeaways from the experience to think about for international competitions in the future.”
Sweden boasts a rich background in successful Track and Field Athletes – most notably the Paris Olympics World Record Breaker – Mondo Duplantis. While Stephen didn’t see any statues of Mondo during his trip, there were big posters of other Swedish athletes in the competition stadium like Discuss Thrower Daniel Ståhl and compatriot Angelica Bengtsson who competes in Pole Vault.
In true Swedish style the lunch provided on the first day was meatballs and Stephen’s hotel for the event, the Scandic Kungens Kurva, was next to a big Ikea which was again fitting for Sweden.
Stephen was proud to fly the flag for the Sports Scholarship Scheme at Kent as well as KMMS. He was joined in the indoor arena by the Senior men’s competitors including the big competitor Fredrik Samuelsson who is a 6000 point Heptathlete, his CV includes competing in the World Championships in 2017 in London. Stephen held his own in the M22 Competition finishing 7th overall with a total score of 5389. Stephen was really happy with the whole experience competing indoors in Sweden with the only disappointment being the misplacement of a pair of spikes which he left at the competition – so much for the diligent kit checks!
Stephen returned to the UK feeling proud of his achievement and experience in Sweden and headed humbly back to Maidstone and straight back into the paediatrics ward to continue his placement.