Text: BUCS awards shortlist announcedCategoriesEvents Student News

UoB Sport shortlisted for two 2023 BUCS Awards

UoB Sport shortlisted for two 2023 BUCS Awards

The University of Birmingham Sport celebrated making the 2023 BUCS awards shortlist for both the Special Recognition and Diversity and Inclusion categories.

BUCS Awards shortlist- Image of all shortlists for the special recognition awards including Georgia Pexton

This year’s Sports Awards Student Coach of the Year Georgia Pexton (Netball) makes up the final five in line to be named in the Special Recognition awards.

 

This award recognises an individual’s commitment to their club or sports department over their time at university, be it as a player, as a committee member or a volunteer. It is awarded to a final year student who have shown an outstanding contribution either through performance or participation.

 

Georgia has some brilliant achievements under her belt including: coaching for the Netball Women’s 5s team, managing the 6s, and taking 5s to a BUCS League Win, along with BUCS Conference Cup Finals.

Active Residences, which is a sport and exercise programme designed for UoB Students living in the University or part-owned accommodation, has also been shortlisted for an award in the Diversity & Inclusion category.

 

Offering a variety of classes, sports and activities to help support students to engage with sport, a win would mark a second award of the 2022/23 academic year as Active Residencies claimed the Team of Teams Award at the University’s Campus Services Awards.

The winners of the 2023 BUCS Awards will be announced on Thursday 13 July at the ceremony taking place at the University of Leeds.

 

If you’re looking to support Georgia & Active Residences, tickets are still available by clicking the button below!

BUCS AWARD TICKETS
Image of people balancing on one leg in yoga classCategoriesEvents Member News

International Yoga Day: Hear from our Instructors

 International Yoga Day: Hear from our Instructors

Wednesday 21 June 2023 is International Yoga day- and this year we wanted to mark the day by speaking to our dedicated yoga instructors to understand the overall benefits and aims of yoga.

Yoga is a holistic practice that originated in ancient India and encompasses various physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines. It is both a philosophy and a set of practices aimed at achieving harmony and balance in the body, mind, and spirit. The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit term “yuj,” which means to unite or join.

 

Yoga has a wide range of styles and practices, including Hatha yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Kundalini yoga, and many others. Each style may emphasize different aspects of yoga, but they all share the goal of integrating and balancing the various dimensions of the individual’s being.

HATHA/VINYASA FLOW YOGA

lots of people taking part in yoga class, bending forward and leaning on one leg

Helen loves teaching a slow Hatha/ Vinyasa flow style of yoga. It allows you to take time stretching, breathing and finding the best way to make yoga poses work for everyone, using options and choices throughout. It is ideal for beginners and anyone looking for a relaxed style of yoga, with calming music, a mix of lying, seated and standing poses, with relaxation and meditation to start and end.

Tracy is passionate about teaching vinyasa flow yoga. It is a dynamic and strengthening practice filled with plenty of opportunities to play with arm balances and inversions. Open to all levels, there’s always options to satisfy beginners and challenge more experienced practitioners. It is an empowering class designed to build up strength, flexibility and balance. Combining mindful movement and breath awareness, it also helps promote a sense of inner wellbeing.

Image of a guy stretching arms upwards

 

Rosanna love’s teaching classes that are accessible to everyone, whether you’re new to yoga or perhaps recovering from injury or even looking to supersize, if you’re feeling more adventurous. Coordinating breath with a flow of movement between poses as we work through the limbs of yoga, her classes are a great way to improve strength, flexibility, wellbeing and mindfulness.

Image of woman balancing on one leg

‘I specialise in yoga therapeutics to heal body, mind and spirit.’ – Lenora

Sarah is passionate that yoga is something that should be done with our bodies, and not to our bodies! Instead of trying to force ourselves into a perceived image of how a yoga posture should look, we should be questioning why and how we are moving, so that our practice is safe, sustainable and injury free. Whether you’re feeling sleepy or energetic, flexible or stiff, Sarah’s wake-up yoga is the perfect way to ease yourself into the day. Suitable for beginners and experienced yogis, all are welcome.

Image of yoga class with participants stretching legs and turning torso backwards

Whether you’re experienced at yoga, or you’ve never taken part in a yoga form before – here at Sport and Fitness we offer classes to suit all abilities in a supportive space! Explore the different types of yoga we offer and join a class!

YOGA CLASSES
Josie with completion bannerCategoriesEvents Student News

10 Marathons in 10 days for Project RED – S

10 Marathons in 10 days for Project RED – S

Third year Biomedical Science student and triathlete Josie Cox recently completed the 10 – in – 10 challenge to fundraise for a cause close to her heart. 

 

Last summer, Josie found herself struggling with an eating disorder, which had a massive impact on her mental and physical health. As someone who enjoys having goals to work towards and being proactive, she found it extremely difficult and overwhelming watching fellow UoB triathletes competing while having to take a step back to prioritise her recovery. 

Following several months of intense therapy and physical health check-ups, Josie began to improve and eventually overcame her eating disorder. Through sharing her own struggles and experience, Josie hopes to help others who may be going through something similar, and encourages people to reach out for help – something that took her a long time to do herself.

Josie taking selfie while running

WHAT IS RED – S?

 

RED – S (Relative energy deficiency in sport) is a syndrome that many haven’t come across before, and something that Josie wants to raise awareness around through her fundraising as something she faced.  It refers to athletes suffering from energy shortage, becoming unable to keep up with the demands of sport and exercise on top of daily bodily functions.

 

Although it’s not often spoken about, RED-S is a rapidly growing problem in sport and health consequences can be serious if the problem isn’t addressed early.

Preparing for the 10 – in – 10 challenge

 

Josie’s preparation involved a lot of low intensity running to get several hours on her feet as well as some back to back marathons to practice running on tired legs after having completed a long run the day before. Other than that, she was stepping into the unknown and was relying on mental stamina! She found it interesting how her body and mindset adapted throughout the challenge.

Josie posing with her friend
Group photo of those involved in RED-S challenge
Cycling element of the marathon

Ready set, go!

 

After the first few days, Josie was in a lot of muscular discomfort but no major pain. By the fourth marathon she was experiencing some pain in her right knee, having a sports massage to help ease the discomfort slightly to make it manageable. After day 5 or 6 she picked up a foot injury which was probably the most painful, but by this point she found her body starting to get into the routine of getting up early and running. 

 

Mentally, she found the 7th marathon in Derby the most challenging, after completing over half of the challenge, yet still being a way away from the finish line. 

 

Josie also faced physical obstacles including sheep fields and jumping over fences! Nevertheless, she thoroughly enjoyed the fun and challenging experience and has had a positive impact on athletes and individuals who may be struggling with disordered eating.

Raising money for RED-S

 

Josie has already exceeded her fundraising target of £1,000, and is extremely grateful for all the support from her friends and family. Donations directly funds RED-S Charities work of increasing awareness, prevention and recovery from RED-S.

 

If you feel inspired by Josie’s story and the mission of the RED-S charity, you can donate to Josie’s just giving page!

 

Interested in learning more about how to get involved in our Triathlon club? Check out the dedicated webpage below.

Image of Josie completing the challenge holding victory banner
UOB Triathlon
CategoriesEvents Student News

Celebrating our Sporting Superstars: Sports Awards Round-up

Celebrating our Sporting Superstars: Sports Awards Round-up

Students, staff and coaches across UB Sport enjoyed an evening of celebrations and recognition at the Sports Awards 2023! Introduced by Andy Alford, Director of Sport, the event was hosted by Helen Coy, Participation Development Manager, and Amy Preston, Club Development Manager.

 

With 13 different award categories including some new additions- it was brilliant to see so many sportspersons, clubs, and coaches being recognised for their sporting contributions across the year.

Read on for a breakdown of our winners!

Sports colours winners

SPORTS COLOURS

 

Sport Colours are non-performance-based and awarded to individuals based on a member’s contribution beyond their established role, going over and above for their club or for sport across the University. 

 

Presented by Carolyn Cutbill, Deputy Director of Sport.

 

Well done to Dani Ashwell and William Moss (Hockey), Georgia Pexton, Harriet Sanderson and Chloe Smith (Netball and Social Netball), Fin Proffitt (Athletics), Xinhe Xiong (Men’s Football) Lewis Keates, Will Bugg and Sophie Rollings (Rugby Union), Thomas Blake (Squash), and Zohaib Naqvee (Handball).

We then moved on announce our individual and team awards….

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

 

This Award recognises individuals who have committed themselves to a cause, activity, or event for the greater good of their club, University, or wider community. 

 

Presented by Jon Elsmore, Director of Student Affairs.

 

 Harriet Westlake won in this category, due to her dedication to the Politics Netball club, creating an inclusive and welcoming competitive community, organising the Campus League team, organising weekly matches against other universities, increasing participation from one team to two, and involving over 100 students in netball over the past two years.

PRIDE AWARD

 

This award acknowledges and celebrates the diversity and inclusion of sport within our clubs.

 

Presented by Adam Witt, BUCS Administrator.

 

The winner of this award was announced as the Sailing club, due to their work to reduce the cost barrier for members by paying for kit and allowing members to borrow, introducing accessible boat to cater for disabilities, and the captain of the club has worked with a local charity supporting young gang members, using sport as a tool for positive reinforcement.

CAMPUS LEAGUE TEAM OF THE YEAR

 

The Campus League Team of the Year award aims to recognise and celebrate the teams that best embody the Campus League ethos of participation, good sportsmanship and enjoyment of the game.

 

Presented by Beccy Hodson, Participation Development Officer.

 

Kinvig Hockey were crowned the winners, who have grown the team with new people across different year groups. They have help multiple socials, and are currently third in the league!

REGIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR

The Regional Team of the Year award aims to celebrate the achievements of some of our stand-out University teams that compete on a regional level within BUCS.

 

Presented by Matt Bridge, Deputy Head of the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences.

 

Congratulations to Hockey Women’s 4s, who were selected due to their three wins acros BUCS Tier 2 League, BUCS Conference Cup Finals and EH National League.

CLUB OF THE YEAR

 

This award is based on the overall success of a club across a number of areas. This can include – but is not limited to – committee and/or performance achievements, developments and innovation within the club, member engagement and connection with the wider sporting community both in- and external to the university.

 

Presented by Chris Anthony, Head of Sport Development.

 

The Athletics club were awarded the well deserved title for their various accomplishments across the year. 

 

With over 25% of its 247 members medalling at competitions, over 365 BUCS points earned, multiple events attended and over 7500 hours completed for the Commonwealth Games 2022, it’s been an incredible year for the club!

GRADUATING SCHOLARS

Across the evening we also celebrated the achievements of our graduating scholars, and the impact they’ve had upon teams, clubs, and the University as a whole during their time with us. 

 

Millie Giglio- having played a pivotal leadership role within the Women’s Hockey Performance Squad, both on the BUCS Premier League and National League stages throughout her 4 years at Birmingham,  as well as the GB Elite Development Programme, 2021-22 UBSports’ Person of the Year Millie successfully captained the England U21 squad to a history-making bronze medal at the 2022 Junior World Cup.

 

Kira Rothwell – a firm fan favourite on the Vitality Netball Superleague scene that has continued to progress along the England Netball performance pathway. Consistently retaining her place on the prestigious England Roses Futures programme and gaining multiple selections to represent England during her time at the University, Kira’s been integral to the Netball 1s’ monumental rise up the BUCS rankings since enrolling at Birmingham 4 years ago.

 

Megan Richter – despite only joining the University in September for a one-year Masters in Cardiovascular Sciences, Megan has made the absolute most of her time at Birmingham, engaging fully with the support provided by the Performance Centre and Scholarship programme to prepare for and achieve a fantastic fourth place at the senior Para Triathlon World Championships.

 

Thomas Keen – coming in as European U18 800m Champion, Tom has continued to develop as an esteemed track athlete, claiming individual BUCS medals, international vests and even a British U20 record during his throughout his 5 years at Birmingham. This summer will see him break into the senior age category, after rounding out last season ranked 2nd in the 1500m in the U23 age group.

 

Sunni Jardine – the linchpin of the University’s Rugby Performance Squad, Sunni is the only player outside of the BUCS Superleague to be selected to represent England Students more than once. Ahead of graduating this summer, Sunni has signed a 2-year contract with a professional French team in Bordeaux.

 

Kiera Marshall – with a career high world ranking of 105, Kiera has not only successfully claimed 2 individual BUCS medals during her time at Birmingham – most notably the gold this year – but also recently led the Women’s Squash 1s to a commanding victory at this year’s BUCS Big Wednesday.

 

Stuart MacGregor – and last but certainly not least, with a career high world ranking of 129 and a hard-earned BUCS individual silver medal under his belt, Men’s Squash 1s’ long-standing captain Stuart MacGregor played an essential part in leading the team to its first Championship Team title since 2016.

Thank you to each of you for all that you’ve done for the University, Sport, the EDCAP scholarship programme and your Clubs during your time with us and we wish you all the very best for your future endeavours.

Millie Giglio headshot
Megan Richter headshot
Thomas Keen headshot

HALF BLUES

 

Half blues are awarded to those who have achieved either a BUCS individual medal or a BUCS Team Championship gold medal during the 2022-23 academic year.

 

Presented by Gary Bilham, Head of Philanthropy.

 

We saw 50 students across awarded their half blues across Athletics, Squash, Archery, Karate, Weightlifting, Swimming, Ultimate Frisbee and Rugby Union Women’s.

FULL BLUES

Full Blues are awarded to those individuals that have competed internationally at a senior championship and this year were awarded to: Andrew Stamp (Trampolining), Lily Walker (Hockey), Oliver Morgan (Swimming) and Megan Richter (Para-Triathlon) following their impressive progression and standard of performance on the senior stage.

STUDENT COACH OF THE YEAR

 

This award aims to recognise current students who are regarded as having made the most outstanding contribution to club sport through their role as a coach, working closely with their club committee to direct the development of the club and support members’ personal and performance development.

 

Presented by Florie Craddock, Sports Officer

Congratulations to Georgia Pexton, who has managed the Women’s 6s and coached the Women 5s leading to a BUCS League win, along with placing as runners-up in the BUCS Conference Cup Final.

COACH OF THE YEAR

The Coach of the Year award is for an individual who is regarded as having made the most outstanding contribution to club sport through their role as a coach.

 

Presented by Mark Burns, UB Sport’s Performance Centre Lead.

 

Mairi Kerin’s dedication to the Karate Club earnt her the top title, helping the club achieve an overall total of 10 BUCS individual medals and the club’s highest ever BUCS finish.

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION

 

The Outstanding Contribution award celebrates outstanding contribution made by an individual towards the continued improvement of UoB Sport & Fitness and the instances in which they have gone beyond expectations.

 

Presented by Simon Bray, Director of Campus Services.

 

This year Cheerleading won the award, as a consistent contributor to wider UBSport events, performing at all super series and open days and being proactive in putting their names forward to take part in new events.

NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR

The National Team of the Year award aims to recognise and highlight the stand-out successes of a select number of our University teams that compete on a national level within BUCS.

 

Presented by Luke Gunn, Head of Performance.

 

Well done to Squash Women’s 1s, who, for the first time in over ten years, claimed their first individual and Championship team title, as well as an individual bronze medal.

Lily walker action shot

Image provided by WorldSportsPics.

SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR

To finish the award ceremony, the Sportsperson of the year award was presented. This is the highest individual accolade awarded by the University of Birmingham, in recognition and celebration of the very highest sporting level. 

Presented by Cathy Gilbert, Head of External Relations, the nominees were: Lily Walker (Hockey), Andrew Stamp (Trampolining), Oli Morgan (Swimming), Lachlan Moorhead (Judo) and Will Barnicoat (Athletics).

 

Lily Walker was selected for a number of incredible reasons, most notably securing gold in the Commonwealth Games last year on campus!

Thank you to everybody who attended this event and made it so special! The Sports Awards always serve as an excellent reminder of just how much incredible sport and achievements take place across the year- and raise the bar for next year!

Event photo credits: Mark Assinder

CategoriesEvents

Swapping the desk for San Diego: Tom to represent Wales

Swapping the desk for San Diego: Tom to represent wales 

Meet Tom Porter, a staff member at the University of Birmingham who this June will represent Wales on the international lacrosse stage.

 

Competing in the World Championships in San Diego, California, he will join 30 of the best teams in the world across 11 days of fixtures.

 

A current Project Manager at the School of Engineering at the University, read his story below….

My Journey to Lacrosse

 

I first picked up a lacrosse stick at Loughborough University in 2013 having never previously heard of the sport. I found that I had a natural fit for the defensive position, and I played for 2 seasons during my time at Loughborough. However, upon graduating due to the lack of lacrosse in the Midlands at the time I left the sport for a couple of years. In 2018 I was part of a group of people who gathered in Nuneaton to see if it was possible to form a local lacrosse club.

 

This group of people would go on to become some of my best friends and we formed Nuneaton Lacrosse Club which now thrives with 2 men’s teams and a women’s team. I fulfil the role as the Club Captain at Nuneaton Lacrosse Club, and I am incredibly proud of the work we do to promote the sport in the Midlands.

My Journey to Wales

 

During 2018 the previous World Championships were held in Netanya, Israel. At the time a friend managed to secure a spot on the Wales Lacrosse team for those championships.

 

This ignited my desire to try out for my Country. In late 2018 I attended open trials for Wales Lacrosse and was successful at my first attempt in breaking into the Wales squad as a defender. I was a member of the Wales team that attended the Home Internationals tournament in 2019 and won that title beating England & Scotland.

I was then again successful in being selected for what we all thought was going to be the 2020 European Championships. However, Covid-19 had other plans and these games were postponed. It was a significantly challenging time, Wales Lacrosse is recognised as an elite sport by Sport Wales so we were able to continue training as lockdowns eased, but there was huge commitments to home workouts and Zoom meetings with teammates.

 

Finally in 2022 these games were rescheduled, and I went to the European Lacrosse Qualification Tournament in Poland. Wales won all 5 of our games in Poland and were the first European nation to earn their qualification spot at the World Championships. At this tournament I also scored my first points for Wales recording a goal and 2 assists across our games. During 2023 I have again represented Wales at the Home Internationals tournament, recording a victory against Scotland and narrowly loosing out on the title against England.

Now the Welsh team are on their way to the World Championships in San Diego, California. Where we will compete against 30 of the best teams in the world. Across 11 days of competition, we will face a tough Group B draw which sees Wales take on Uganda, France, Denmark & number 6 in the world ranked Japan. The top 2 countries from this group will carry on with chances to take the overall title of World Champions.

Feel inspired to use our facilities to help you achieve your goals? We have a range of membership types to suit your preferences!

MEMBERSHIPS
CategoriesEvents Member News Student News

Meet Our Members: Katie Mole, Rowing Regatta Medallist

Meet Our Members: Katie Mole, Rowing Regatta Medallist

Rowing club member and full-time postgraduate medical student, Katie, Mole, recently saw saw incredible success after being selected to represent Great Britain at the May International Wedau Regatta in Duisburg, Germany!

Katie competed in the Senior Women’s Double Sculls category and secured a silver and bronze medal over the two days of the competition. She competed alongside athlete Rebecca Wilde for the first time, after being on the same development programme for a number of years.  After returning to full-time study over the last nine months, she had to work incredibly hard balancing her academics alongside club and gym training. We caught up with her to learn more about her impressive schedule.

Katie Mole (left) and Rebecca Wilde (right)

What does a typical day look like for you?

 

Typically, my day begins bright and early at 06:00am, heading to the gym to train on the rowing machine with the University Boat Club. Following this, I study in the medical school for most of the day, from 09:00am-05:00pm. I then head back to the gym for a weights or cardio session before going home to finish the day by refuelling and completing any university work at home.

 How do you stay motivated to stick to your schedule?

 

Although this is a pretty gruelling schedule, it’s made easier by how friendly the gym staff are at Sport and Fitness. I’m always greeted by a friendly face or an interested question about how my training is going.

Who have been key supporters in your journey?

 

In particular, Joe Blacker has gone above and beyond to help me with my strength and conditioning work, taking on the role of a fantastic coach, and getting me to the strongest I’ve ever been, which was instrumental in facilitating my selection for international racing. I also owe a big thanks to the other athletes and coaches in the boat club for their continued support. Having enjoyed my first experience of racing in GB kit I’m excited to continue to improve and see what’s in store for the rest of the season and beyond.

 

Katie will also be racing at Henley Regatta at the end June which is one of the most prestigious rowing events, where she hopes to see even more successes!

Feel inspired to use our facilities to help you achieve your goals? We have a range of membership types to suit your preferences!

MEMBERSHIPS
CategoriesEvents

Brum in the Lakes: Experience the Outdoors

Brum in The Lakes | Experience the Outdoors

Last week, staff from across Sport & Fitness experienced a different kind of sporting environment, with a trip to the Raymond Priestly Centre in the Lake District.

The facility, which is a part of the University of Sport offering for students, is a multi-award winning outdoor education centre situated on the tranquil Coniston Water.

Staff from Performance Sport to Marketing, Club Development to Operations had a 24-hours that will live long in the memory – with one member of staff making their first return to the Raymond Priestley Centre in 20 years!

With rowing, sailing, climbing, hiking, gorge walking and much more on offer, the group experienced some of the centre’s outdoor pursuits for themselves.

Alongside the fun, were dedicated team building tasks spanning the beautiful Cumbrian surroundings, as the group collectively conquered land and water in a points-led orienteering exercise.

Fully-catered and will ample sleeping options, including two Yurts – the team returned to Birmingham with plenty of takeaways from an event-filled 24 hours.

A big thanks to Deborah Cook and her team based in Coniston who each year continue to offer seasonal activities and educational opportunities for University of Birmingham students and staff. 

Take a look for yourself with our gallery of some of our best photos!



Find out more about the Raymond Priestly Centre and the incredible sporting experience it offers!


RAYMOND PRIESTLY CENTRE

CategoriesEvents Student News

From Pool to Podium: Making history at the British Swimming Championships

From Pool to Podium: Making history at the British Swimming Championships

3 British titles, 7 finals appearances, 8 personal bests, 7 University records and a call-up from the GB team – our Swimming Squad made some strong waves at the British Swimming Championships.

 

 

10 of our swimmers headed up to Pond Forge, Sheffield, from the 4-9 April 2023 to compete in 19 individual events. The outcome was incredible from the very first day, topping it off with our showstopper Scholar Ollie Morgan who made British history! 

 

Read on for a breakdown of the headline performances from across the week. 

 

DAY ONE

The squad didn’t waste any time, heading straight in with some strong swims. Following promising performances in the heats, scholar and sports coaching student Ollie Morgan gave a showstopper swim, becoming the 2nd fastest male in British history in Men’s 50m Backstroke A final with an incredibly rapid time of 24.84, trimming off 0.23s from the heats. As it stands, this makes Ollie the 5th fastest in the world and only the 3rd ever Brit to go sub -25 seconds in his category!

The last time we saw a triple in Backstroke events was Marco Loughran back in 2007.

 

Chemistry student and scholar Lucy Cannavan gave an impressive performance, improving from the heats (32.33) to finals (31.98), claiming 5th place in the Women’s 50m Breaststroke A final with a new personal best. Sam Neeld jumped from 19th in the heats to 2nd place in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke priority Paris final with a brilliant time of 1:03.29, also unlocking a new club record and new personal best!

Ollie Morgan. Credit: BUCS Photography

Lucy Cannavan. Credit: BUCS Photography

DAY Two

 

We saw more University records broken on the second day.  Sam made it to the priority Paris finals for the second time, securing first place in the 50m Breaststroke, completing the swim in 28.42 seconds. Ollie saw his second gold medal of the competition, with a 53.92 swim in Men’s 100m Backstroke.

Sam Neeld. Credit: BUCS Photography

DAY SIX

 

Ollie and Lucy made a splash in their final races, with an exceptional gold finish from Ollie in the Men’s 200m Backstroke ‘A’ Final, and Lucy securing first place in Women’s 100m Breaststroke priority Paris Final. Further University records were broken, raising the bar for our Lions!

 

Lucy shares how her performance exceeded her expectations at the British Championships:

 

‘After having 2 PBS at BUCS, I wasn’t really expecting to go much quicker, but to have 2 PBS from champs was a really good achievement.’

 

The rest of the squad gave an incredible effort and some memorable swims, with Adrian Ting also securing a new personal best for his 50m Butterfly.

Selected to represent Great Britain

 

With the British Swimming Championships playing a key role in the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka in July, Ollie’s powerful performance earned him a well-deserved spot on the GB team. We look forward to seeing him recognised at international level, with the team putting Birmingham firmly on the map!

 

Ollie reflects on his incredible achievements and selection for the world Championships.

 

‘Over the moon! Quite speechless, all the hard work we’ve put in has come together and to be selected for my first British team is quite overwhelming, but I am really excited to get out there.’

 

With this being the team’s 4th successful meet in a row with PB’s lowering consistently across most of the team, Head of Swimming Gary reflects on the teams’ successes.

 

‘I was really impressed, they kept the momentum going in a high-pressure environment, producing some top-class performances. Training was very focused on each individuals’ events, and it transferred really well to the competition’.

To keep up to date with all the action, make sure to follow the dedicated UoB Swimming Squad account.

Find out more about our 50m swimming pool and how you can get involved!

SWIMMING POOL
CategoriesEvents Student News

Breaking Records at BUCS Nationals 2023

Breaking Records at BUCS Nationals 2023

From the 24th-27th February, just under 100 of our students headed up to Sheffield to take part in the annual BUCS Nationals event for the 10th year. The weekend was an incredible success, with 24 medals secured, 211 BUCS points, new records including our first ever para medal for Athletics, and personal bests for some of our students, and an impressive mascot win from our beloved Rory!

 

Students competed in Athletics, Badminton, Climbing and Swimming to win medals and earn BUCS points.

ATHLETICS

It has been a huge weekend in the world of athletics, with a record medal haul of 15, ranking 2nd overall, and 130 BUCS points secured. In terms of individual medals, the athletics squad secured 7 gold medals, 5 silver and 3 bronze-breaking another record for most gold medals from the indoor championships.The competition continued right up to the very end, with 6 of the medals won within the final hour!

Our gold medallists are:

 

Didi Okoh (60m Ambulant, Long Jump), Josh Woods (Triple Jump), Cameron Bailey (400m), Harry Fisher (800m), Tyler Bilyard (1500m) and Elsa Palmer (300m)

Our silver medallists are:

 

Didi Okoh (Shot put Ambulant) Angel Diaz (60m Hurdles), Ore Adepegba (Long Jump), Kimani Jack (High Jump) and Archie Parkinson (800m)

Our bronze medallists are:

 

Emily Marmion-Willams (800m) and Saskia Millard (3000m), and a bronze for the Men’s 2x400m

TRIPLE MEDALLIST

 

On Friday, Didi Okoh won our first event Para medal for Birmingham in the 60m Ambulant event. She then added 2 more medals in the Long Jump and Shot Put giving the ladies over a third of their total points, and breaking a record for being a triple medallist at the indoors- a huge well done!

 

 

 

We can’t forget Rory who gave a pawfect performance in the mascot race, flying across the finish line at true lions speed – with an impressive time of 28.15 seconds.

CLIMBING

 

With 18 BUCS points secured, Ian Davis was awarded a bronze medal for Men’s Individuals, along with another bronze for the Men’s overall team. The Women’s Individual Team placed 7th!

BADMINTON

 

Badminton were awarded 5 BUCS points, with Shayne Wilson securing a bronze medal in singles! Both Shayne and Chad Warren reached the R16 in the Men’s Doubles.

SWIMMING

 

58 BUCS points were awarded to our swim team, with an overall position of 7th over the weekend. Two of our students secured a whole 6 medals between them!

 

Ollie Morgan and Lucy Jordan-Caws both excelled at the weekend, leaving the event as triple medallists! Ollie secured two gold and one silver medal in 100m ,200m and 50m backstroke respectively. Lucy secured two silver and one bronze medal in 50m free Multi class S 15, 100m Butterfly Multi class S 15 and 50m Butterfly Multi class S 15 respectively.

 

Sam Neeld also came 4th in the 50m Breaststroke final. 8 University records have been smashed and PBs hit across the group!

We are so proud of our Lions and their incredible achievements across all of the BUCS Nationals sports. With records broken, 24 medals, new personal bests, and a hefty number of BUCS points in the bag, it sure was a weekend to be remembered!

YOUoB Connect Festival BannerCategoriesEvents Student News

UoBe Festival Week Round-Up

UoBe Festival Week Round-Up

Last week students took part in UoBe Festival, offering a jam-packed schedule of activities and events before the academic term settles in. It was a great success, with students from all backgrounds engaging in our activities, from Try-a-Sport sessions to the Daily Varsity challenge to the College Cup and more! 

 

Here is a summary of some of the highlights across the week.

 

Image of students taking part in sunrise yoga session on the top floor of the main library

Sunrise Yoga

The week started off strong with some early morning Yoga held on the 4th floor of the main library, providing an unbeatable view of the infamous Old Joe clock. Our brilliant yoga instructor facilitated the session, allowing students to start their days with relaxation, balance and gentle stretching. 

Image of students standing with Jack. Tennis Coordinator

Tennis Masterclass  

 

Our amazing Tennis Coordinator provided a one-week free Tennis Masterclass designed to introduce beginners to tennis and teach them the basics. 

 

By the end of the week, all of the students were able to play in a tournament, with doubles and singles matches. Overarm serves, forehands, backhands, volleys and an understanding of the correct tennis scoring system were all put into play on the final day! 

 

Students reported feeling more confident in playing tennis and will take the skills they’ve learned into future games they play!

Varsity Daily Challenges 

 

From 2-3:30pm every day, our Participation Team organised a daily Varsity challenge. With the challenge changing each day, students gave a great effort and were awarded additional points towards their college for the overall College Cup score.  

Image of students playing football on Bournbrook Pitches

College Cup  

 

Across the week students represented their colleges in daily sport matches as part of the College Cup competition. From 3 v 3 basketball to Football on the Bournbrook pitches, the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS) claimed a well-deserved victory! 

Two adjacent squash courses in use by students
A student climbing towards the top of the climbing wall

Try-a-Sport sessions 

 

Students had the opportunity to try out a new sport through our Try-a-Sport sessions and social sport sessions. Facilitated by our Sport Development Team, Participation Team, and Student Societies, students got involved in various mixed ability sport sessions including Judo, Climbing, Squash, Netball and Bench ball. 

It was great to see so many students engaging with our facilities, especially those who don’t usually take part in sporting activities. Sport is for all, and sometimes it just takes trying out a few different things to find what you warm to the most!

 

Has one of our sessions inspired you to get more involved in sports? We have an extensive range of sporting opportunities designed for all levels of skill and commitment.