A first-year student from The Sixth Form Bolton has recently returned from Sweden where she represented England in the under 18s shot put. Alani Dumbuya, a former Westhoughton High School student has taken part in athletics since she was eight and joined Leigh Harriers Athletics Club when she was 11. She studies A level Biology, Physical Education and Psychology and Level 3 Core Maths at The Sixth Form.

She took part in the event as part of her preparation to compete for Great Britain on an international scale. She excelled at the event with a 16.64 metre throw in the 3kg shot put competition adding over a metre to her PB and taking her to 10th in the European rankings for U18 shot.

Alani said:

I was really happy with my result. I came to The Sixth Form because of their excellent Sports Performance Pathway. The pathway allows me to fit my studies in around my training and gives me extra support as we have access to a sports performance coach and exclusive use of a new fitness suite. All of the staff are really supportive at The Sixth Form. All my PE teachers were really excited for me when they found out about me competing in Sweden. After I finish my studies at The Sixth Form, I’m thinking about studying at university in the USA and the Careers team have been helping me to find out more about that.

All of the staff at The Sixth Form are extremely excited for Alani and impressed with how well she's balancing her studies. Rachel Molyneux, Course Leader for Physical Education & Sport, said:

We are incredibly proud of Alani's ability to excel both on the shot put field and in the classroom. Her success in shot put is a direct result of her dedication and discipline, while her academic achievements reflect the same commitment and focus. Her ability to thrive in both areas is a true testament to her dedication to success. We are excited to see her continue to grow, both athletically and academically, in the future.

Alani is competing in Sheffield next in the England Athletics U15/U17/U20 Indoor Championships 2025. Everyone at The Sixth Form looks forward to following her on her exciting journey.

Learn more about Sports Academies at The Sixth Form