Sporting prowess often has to take a backseat in favour of academic studies; but at Glyn School two star pupils have proved its possible to excel at both.

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From yesterday: A-levels: Your results are in and here's how you did

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Weightlifter Luca Michael and gymnast Jack Neill will aim to win many medals in their careers but for now it is their achievements at Glyn School, in The Kingsway, Epsom, which have got them both celebrating.

Between them they landed seven A* grades; contributing to an overall pass rate for the school of 82 per cent A*-C Year 12 students were not to be left out and their efforts meant Glyn secured its best AS results ever with 65 per cent of grades at A to C.

Joe Gale, head of sixth form, added: “Special congratulations go to Luca Michael for his three A* in economics, mathematics and psychology.

“Luca achieved five As and five Bs for his GCSEs two years ago and his performance shows that no student’s potential should ever be capped.

Mr Michael, 18, is hoping his results are the start of an exciting week as he gears up to compete in the 62kg category at the British Championships at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre on Saturday (August 15).

His results have secured him a place at University College London to study psychology and he admitted to an uncharacteristic bout of nerves.

The youngster who represents Sutton and Epsom Weightlifting said: “I was very nervous today, which was strange because I wasn’t nervous about the exams at all but I guess since my last exam I may have been over thinking things.

"But I’m so happy with my results. My preparations (for the championships) have gone well and I’m going in with the second highest total. Right now, I’d settle for any medal at the weekend.”

Meanwhile Mr Neill has his sights set on securing a place on the Irish gymnastics team at the 2016 Olympics after securing a place at Cambridge University.

The 18-year-old will read engineering after getting an A* in maths, A* in further maths and an A in physics but has decided to defer a year in a bid to compete in Rio next summer.

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Surrey-based Mr Neill, the current British U18 pommel horse champion, a title previously won by Olympic silver medallist Louis Smith, said: "My results were absolutely amazing. I was very nervous leading up to today, as I'm sure most of my friends were.”

Mr Neill, who began training at Tolworth Gymnastics Club at the age of five and has already competed at the 2012 European Championships and 2013 European Youth Olympics, is now turning his attentions to the World Championships in Glasgow later this year.

"With the Olympics taking place next summer, I decided I would defer going to Cambridge until 2016 so I can spend a whole year doing gymnastics and hopefully get some work experience," he continued. "There are lots of competitions between now and the Olympics and all my focus is now on making sure I make the Ireland team.

"The next year is going to be huge for me - especially at the end of year with the World Championships and the trials to get into the Ireland team sometime in the New Year. I certainly won't be spending the next year relaxing!"

Aside from sport head girl Olivia O’Brien, 18, is looking forward to studying politics and international relations at Bath University after getting an A* in politics, A in English and B in French.

“I’m really happy with my results,” she said. “I just wanted to get into university so I checked the website this morning to see what university I had got into because I would’ve been too nervous to come in not knowing if I had got enough.

“All my friends have done really well and all the hard work we’ve put in over the last two years has paid off.

As for her choice of university subject, she explained: “Politics is something that I’m really interested in. It’s a subject that is always changing and is always in the media because it’s something people are interested in. I think it’s going to be a really interesting subject to study at university.

“I’ve really enjoyed being Head Girl and it’s been an amazing two years.”

Jon Chaloner, executive headteacher, said: “As I step down as the Head after nine years before moving into my new role as CEO of GLF Schools, of which Glyn is a part, I am delighted the school has achieved such an impressive set of results for our students.

“I am sure that the next Year 13 cohort will rise to the challenge for 2016 as they move into our purpose-built £3.6m new building alongside the new Year 12 students.

“I would like to pay tribute to my colleagues for their commitment to all Glyn students resulting in such success. We are grateful to our parents for the support they have given to their daughters and sons over the years which has been significant.”

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It was celebrations all round for local City of London Freemen’s School students Tom Clarke and Ben Windle, who both gained places to their first choice universities.

Mr Clarke, 18, from Ewell, was predicted three B’s but defied expectation to achieve three A’s in chemistry, biology and physics. He starts at Brighton and Sussex Medical School in the autumn. It was voted number one for student satisfaction this week in the annual National Student Survey, which questions over 300,000 graduates.

Aside from his studies Mr Clarke recently took part in a triathlon to raise money for a children’s end of life hospice in Romania, and then travelled to the country to spend a week with the medical team.

He said: “I met the most amazing people, of course it was heart breaking, but I had the opportunity to run a five-day holiday club for those children able to take part and it was the most rewarding experience of my life.”

Mr Windle, from Epsom Downs, was also delighted with his results gaining two A*s in mathematics and physics and an A in further mathematics, which means he can go on to read mathematics at Nottingham.

Alongside his academic studies, the youngster is an excellent squash player having captained Freemen’s first team and being ranked number two in England at U15s.

He said: “I’m looking forward to studying at Nottingham, but my real ambition is to play squash at professional level. However, I realise that I will need a good degree to secure my future.”

The pass rate of the school, in Ashtead Park, Ashtead, was 100% and 29% of the grades awarded were the top A*.

Headmaster Philip MacDonald who retires this year after eight years said: “Our students have once again done themselves proud and I congratulate them and their teachers on these achievements which are in line with the highest academic standards for which the School has such a strong reputation.

“I wish them all the very best as they take up their university and college places in the autumn.”