Kimbolton School, Cambridgeshire, proudly welcomed two former Olympians on Saturday 7 September to officially open its newly refurbished swimming pool. Kevin Burns and Margaret Kelly both attended the highly anticipated event, which featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony and inspiring speeches to the crowd.
The extensive refurbishment, completed over several months, underscores Kimbolton School’s commitment to providing state-of-the-art facilities for the local community and its students. With the opening timed perfectly to coincide with the start of the new academic year, the event was attended by the local community, students, staff, Governors, and parents, all of whom were eager to see the improved facilities.
Kevin Burns, Britain’s first black Olympic swimmer, officially opened the pool by cutting the ribbon and sharing some motivational words with guests. Kevin competed in two events in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. He finished joint 16th place in the 100m Freestyle event, before missing out on the semi-finals in the swim-off by an agonising 0.03 seconds, and his team placed fourth in the Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay race. Two years later he won bronze as part of the GB 4 x 100 relay swim team at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Alberta.
Following the opening ceremony, guests headed inside to see the facilities and watch a series of impressive swimming demonstrations by the Swans Swimming Club Seniors and Kimbolton pupils. Margaret Kelly, a former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics and competed for England in the Commonwealth Games, delivered an uplifting speech to the young swimmers, proudly displaying her impressive collection of medals as a testament to her achievements.
Competing in the 1976 Summer Olympics, Kelly reached the final in all three of her events – 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke and 4 x 100m medley relay race. In the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Kelly represented England and won a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke and took home two bronze medals for the 200m breaststroke and medley relay. She also competed in the 1980 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in the women’s 4 x 100m medley relay. She came out of retirement in 1988, after giving birth to her first child, to compete at the Summer Olympics in Seoul.
Kimbolton’s upgraded 25-metre swimming pool now boasts modern amenities designed to support both competitive and recreational swimming. The programme of works will enable the continued delivery of a wide variety of public swimming sessions and lessons throughout the year to the local community. It is also available to hire for birthday parties, and by local schools, community groups and swimming clubs in the area.
Will Chuter, Headmaster at Kimbolton School, said:
“This refurbishment is good news for Kimbolton School and for our local community – providing our pupils and residents in the area with a top tier sports facility. We are incredibly grateful to Kevin and Margaret for joining us today and re-opening the centre. Having overcome a phobia of water and health issues in his childhood to compete for his country, Kevin has an inspiring story to tell. Likewise, Margaret’s long-standing dedication and contributions to sport are a shining example of how commitment and passion can make a lasting impact. Together, their stories will undoubtedly inspire our pupils and the wider community to use our new facility.”
Kimbolton School’s swimming pool is available for student use during school hours and for community programs and events in the evenings and on weekends.
For more information about the swimming pool schedule and programmes, please visit Kimbolton School - Kimbolton Swimming Pool or contact slp@kimbolton.cambs.sch.uk
