Jennifer Leggate '24 Recruiting Profile

Friendships and team spirit is why I love Track & Field. The support from an amazing team alongside my own self-motivation is what drives me to always work my hardest and strive to be the best athlete I can possibly be. Currently, I train regularly with a squad of around 10 other female athletes. Together, we work hard pushing each other to running faster and better times but are also the best of friends on and off the track. I am looking for a team in which, similarly, the approach is challenging yet supportive and friendly.

In the UK I run at national level, including coming 12^th at the 2023 national cross-country championships, leading my team to become English champions. This was one of my proudest moments in the sport as it truly reflected the hard work my team and I had put in over the season. On the track last season, I was also 8^th in the national schools championships at 3000m and 3^rd in the Southern region at 1500m. My dedication to my athletics club and team can also be seen through my role as junior representative on my club’s committee where I act as spokesperson for the younger athletes in the club.

In the future, I wish to study medicine, possibly following a strong Premed course in the US. I am used to balancing competitive running alongside intensive academic study – I am currently studying four A levels and am predicted to achieve grade A*/A. I ultimately want to study medicine because I am fascinated by the idea of studying in a field where knowledge is continually developing. I want to work in a job where no two days are the same, where I can make a positive difference to people’s lives, and where I could engage with challenging problems. My interest in studying medicine has led me to complete nine days of work experience in a GP clinic, attending related webinars run by UK universities and complete an extended project on a medicine related topic.

Besides running and my academic studies, I also received a distinction in grade 8 violin this year and took part in an international orchestra exchange with musicians from France and Germany, allowing me the amazing opportunity to interact with people from other cultures. The rewarding experience from this multicultural exchange is a further reason why I wish to study abroad and am confident I would be successful in the US in the next steps of my sporting and academic journey.