Two sporting high-flyers at Latymer

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Pavan Sagoo may be only 9 years old, but he is already playing golf at a level to which many seasoned adults can only aspire. Pavan, who attends Latymer Prep School in Hammersmith, is already playing with a handicap of 21, and he hopes to have chipped his way down to just 12 by the end of this year.

Pavan, who took his first swing with a plastic golf club when he was just two-and-a-half years old, recently won a prestigious tournament for youngsters held at St Andrew’s in Scotland – the home of golf. He was the winner of his age group at the St Leonard’s National Junior Golf Championship, seeing off a challenge from over twenty of the nation’s best youngsters.

Pavan, who lives in Ealing and gains his inspiration from his father (who plays off a handicap of two!), has been billed ‘the new Tiger Woods’ by his classmates. However, he remains modest, claiming that he still needs to improve his driving technique!

Melissa Haddleton made a piece of history at Latymer Upper School recently when she became the first girl to play cricket for the school.

Latymer, the independent school located on King Street in Hammersmith, accepted girls into its Year 7 for the first time in September as part of its move to full co-education. Since arriving at the school, Melissa has made a real impact in the sporting life of the school, playing rounders, badminton and football, as well as running cross country.

Melissa, who plays regularly for Ealing Cricket Club and also for Middlesex, made an immediate impression in her first cricket game for Latymer’s Under-12 team, taking four wickets for just three runs.

“She is a very promising bowler with a good action,” says her team coach, Robert Orme. To what does Melissa attribute her skill? “Practice!” she says.

May 15, 2005