Bullied schoolboy turned sailor sprints to finish

A sailor from HMS Queen Elizabeth who was bullied at school because of his lack of fitness has come first in the ship’s traditional Gibraltar Rock Race.

Engineering Technician (Marine Engineering) Sam Prisk, 22, from Southampton ran from his ship to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar in just 22 minutes, 44 seconds – almost twice as fast as the last participant over the line.

Around a hundred members of the ship’s company, embarked aircrew and Royal Marines took part as the ship visited the British Overseas Territory.

ET(ME) Prisk said: “This is such a surreal feeling, because 10 years ago I was the fat boy at school and I was bullied by everyone.

“I thought then, if I started pushing myself a bit more I could maybe be someone that I thought I could never be.

“Now here I am, first over the line on the top of the Rock for HMS Queen Elizabeth, so it’s a massive achievement for me.”

The Rock Race is traditionally run by every Royal Navy ship that visits Gibraltar. The route is 2.7 miles long and involves a 1,300ft climb on steep gradients.

The current Rock Race record was set in 1986 by Sub Lieutenant Chris Robison, who ran the Rock in 17 mins and 29 seconds.

To be fully effective in combat, men and women in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines must be physically and mentally fit – NAVYfit.