Inspirational Olympic Medallist
We were delighted to welcome back Olympic medallist, World Champion and former Ballard Head Boy Matthew Aldridge for Speech Day, where he shared powerful lessons on resilience, perseverance and embracing challenges.
“It was great coming back and seeing everyone and being given the opportunity to speak and share a few messages. It was a very surreal moment, but one I thoroughly enjoyed!”
Matthew Aldridge, former Head Boy, Olympic medallist and World Champion rower.
Speech Day is always a highlight of the Ballard calendar. We were delighted to welcome back our Year 11 pupils as we celebrated their Ballard journey and recognised accomplishments across every stage of school life, from our youngest learners in Pre-Prep through to our senior pupils preparing for their next chapter.
World Champion rower and four-time European Champion. Matthew’s inspiring story of resilience, determination and perseverance resonated with pupils and parents alike, demonstrating how embracing challenges can lead to remarkable success. Matthew gave some valuable advice to pupils including “Success isn’t about being the best every day. It’s about improving every day.”
You can watch the highlights from Matthew’s speech here.
