Lilah Fear will be ‘perfect’ Team GB flagbearer, former teacher says
A former teacher of figure skater Lilah Fear has told of her pride in the Olympian, who she said will set a high standard as flagbearer for Team GB.
Olympic medal hopeful Lilah Fear’s former PE teacher has spoken of her pride after the figure skater was named as one of Team GB’s flagbearers for the opening ceremony in Milan.
Fear, 26, and her partner Lewis Gibson, 31, are tipped to claim Britain’s first figure skating medal since Dame Jayne Torvill and Sir Christopher Dean took bronze in 1994 in Lillehammer.
London-raised Fear will carry the flag in the athletes’ parade at the San Siro on Friday, becoming the first British ice dancer to do so since Sir Christopher in Sarajevo in 1984 – the year he and Dame Jayne scooped gold with their Bolero performance.
Fear and Gibson will take to the ice after claiming bronze in the European Figure Skating Championships in January, with Dame Jayne, Sir Christopher and a Spice Girl among their supporters.
The 1984 Olympic champions lent the pair their original Bolero costumes to recreate some of the routine’s famous poses for Halloween, while popstar Mel B left a comment on Gibson’s Instagram page saying she will be watching them compete.
Music from the Spice Girls will feature in the pair’s rhythm dance, while their free dance will be soundtracked by a Scottish-themed medley featuring The Proclaimers.
Fear, who was born in Connecticut to Canadian parents and moved to London aged one, attended South Hampstead High School in north-west London.
Her former PE teacher, Gemma Cooke, said the athlete was a “delightful” student.
Mrs Cooke said: “She was extremely committed, very dedicated. She spent a huge amount of time training but was also really committed to her studies.
“It appeared that she managed these with ease. I’m sure she didn’t, I’m sure it was a real juggle for her, but she never gave off that impression. There was always a smile on her face, always really polite. Just delightful, really, to teach.”
At school, Fear was a music scholar, a member of the netball and cross country teams, as well as being elected deputy head girl in sixth form.
“It’s a huge amount to juggle. You have to be of a certain kind to be able to do that,” Mrs Cooke said.
“You’ve got to have that personality… she was very determined. We have a lot of very enthusiastic girls at South Hampstead, and she was one of them. She embraced the opportunities that were there on offer.”
She said Fear had quickly proved herself to be a “real talent” when she joined the school aged 11, and coped well with the challenges of a demanding training schedule and frequent travelling.
Mrs Cooke said: “Her achievements are remarkable. It does actually make you feel quite emotional, seeing how well she’s progressed and how happy she seems. I think that, above a lot of things, happiness is really the key.
“I think just seeing her out there, doing what she’s really wanted to do, what she’s happy doing, what she’s worked so hard to achieve, is amazing.
“It makes me very proud. And to hear that she’s the flagbearer, as well, is just remarkable. (She is the) perfect, happy, smiley individual to be the flagbearer. She’ll set a really good standard for everyone else.”
“They were all delightful,” Mrs Cooke said of the sisters. “Mum and dad were extremely supportive, so we had a lot to do with the family as a whole. They were the sort of committed pupils that we love.”
The school hopes pupils will be inspired by Fear’s achievements, with staff planning to put up posters cheering her on and to mark the start of the Games in an assembly on Friday.
Mrs Cooke said: “I think it just sets an example that anything is possible. If you have dreams, you can achieve them.”
