The medal, aided by Toby Harries' sterling run in the heats, comes after years of preparation from the Old Brightonian.
Toby discovered he had secured his spot on the team on day 155 of his efforts to make the Olympic Squad, a journey shared in gritty detail on the athlete's Instagram. Speaking to OB.com, Toby shared an uplifting message for all to take on board:
Last year I nearly retired, today i’m an Olympian. Don’t be in a rush to give up on your dream
Toby's first round took place on Friday 9th August, with the event finals the next day. Team GB writes of Toby's athletic background:
Training in Harlequins Elite Development Programme, Harries’ need for speed was quickly made apparent as he began to excel on the wing.
However, it was when the Brighton-born sprinter took the ball out of the equation that he found his ultimate sporting path, focussing on athletics and taking the youth circuit by storm.
Now a two-time British indoor champion over 200m, Harries is preparing to live his dream as he makes his Olympic debut at Paris 2024.
Brighton College has a long track record of producing Olympians, with 3-times tennis medalist Major Josiah George Ritchie (1887-88), sailor George Colin Ratsey (St. 1921-24), and foil fencer Geoffrey Vyvyan Arundell Seccombe (Du. 1921-22) some of the more historical OBs to represent Great Britain at the Olympiad.
Congratulations Toby!
{gallery}Toby Harries{/gallery}