Ellen Barber is eagerly anticipating her debut at the Commonwealth Games, set to take place on home soil in Glasgow this summer. The talented heptathlete from Shepton Mallet has earned her first-ever selection for Team England, fulfilling a dream she’s held since watching the Birmingham Games three years ago.
“I can hardly put the feeling into words,” Barber said. “The excitement of competing at a home Games with a supportive British crowd is something truly special. Our fans are incredible at rallying behind our athletes, and I know this atmosphere will be unforgettable.”
Barber’s journey to this moment has been a blend of determination and resilience. Following a heartbreaking injury that prevented her from competing in Birmingham 2022, she has fought back stronger than ever and claimed heptathlon gold at the 2025 UK Athletics Championships.
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“Missing out in 2022 was tough to accept,” she admitted. “But to have bounced back, make the team, and now face the best athletes on home turf is something I cherish deeply.”
The call confirming her Team England spot came unexpectedly but joyfully one evening. “I’d just finished dinner when the Head of Combined Events rang to say I’d been selected. That moment made all the hard work worthwhile,” Barber recalled. With her fiancé, former decathlete James Finney, by her side, she quickly shared the good news with her family—her brother, farming in Argentina, included.
Barber met Finney while competing abroad, bonding over their shared sporting ambitions and farming roots. Both hail from agricultural backgrounds, which adds a special dimension to their support for each other.
Now, with the Commonwealth Games looming, Barber’s sights are firmly set beyond participation. “My goal is not just to compete but to secure a medal,” she said confidently. “The heptathlon is unpredictable, but seven strong events could lead to something truly memorable.”
Away from athletics, Barber balances her sporting career with work as an estate and property manager at her family’s Somerset farming business, A.J. and R.G. Barber Ltd. A seventh-generation member of the family, she’s proud to carry forward a legacy that includes award-winning cheddar production dating back to 1833.
As she prepares to represent Team England in Glasgow, Barber hopes to bring home more than just personal achievement—she aims to be the ‘big cheese’ of the Games in more ways than one.