Blue Lights to Bright Lights: London Ambulance Service Paramedic Helps England Reach Netball Semi-Finals
By Community Correspondent
A London Ambulance Service paramedic has swapped blue lights for bright lights to help England reach the semi-finals on the international netball stage.
Julien Vincent, 29, flew out to Singapore last week to compete in the seven-day Men’s Netball Nations Series.
England started strong, defeating the United Arab Emirates 65–16 in their first game and defeating hosts Singapore 56-14 in their second game but had a tough match against Australia.
Spot in the semi-finals
A victory against New Zealand has helped them secure their spot in the semi-finals which are played today (16 January).
Julien said: “Those first wins give us a lot of confidence going into the rest of the series. It’s an incredible honour to represent England, especially on an international stage like this.”
Julien began working for London Ambulance Service in 2022 after qualifying as a paramedic in his native Australia.
Earning the England call up
He joined the England squad in 2023 following recruitment from his local club, the London Giants, and is eligible to play for England as his grandfather is British.
Since then he has been balancing his 12-hour ambulance shifts with elite-level netball training.
He admitted: “There are definitely tough days. Working long shifts and fitting in training takes a lot of discipline, but both roles demand focus, teamwork and staying calm under pressure.”
Once viewed as a women’s sport, netball is growing rapidly among boys and men, with mixed and men’s competitions expanding across schools and clubs in the UK.
Exciting time for netball
Julien said: “It’s an exciting time for men’s and mixed netball. The sport is growing fast and getting more recognition. The England National Championships are held every August, and each year is bigger than the last.”
A busy and high-pressure day job translates seamlessly to the court, where Julien has become a key figure in the England setup as a tall target in the shooting circle.
Head and shoulders above the competition
At 6ft 11, he is a natural goal shooter who scored 25 points in the first half of the opening game – already proving to be head and shoulders above the competition.
Julien holds six caps with England, gaining three caps against Jamaica in 2023 and three caps against Australia in 2025.
