CategoriesAnnouncement

#PathwaytoParis: Our Olympians

#PathwaytoParis | Our Olympians

It’s been an incredible two weeks of sport on the world-class stage, and as the world takes a break before the start of the Paralympics (28 August), we take a look back at how our staff, students, and alumni fared at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

 

Athletics

Georgia Bell ran the race of her life for Team GB and got bronze – and a national record – in the Women’s 1500m.

 

Hannah Kelly ran the second leg of the Women’s Team GB 4x400m heats, playing a crucial part in the team going on to win bronze in the final.

Imranur Rahman competed in the Men’s 100m for Bangladesh, and although he placed 6th in his heat and didn’t qualify for the next round, Imranur ran a season best of 10.73, with the quickest reaction time of his group. 

Georgia Bell holds GB flag above her head. She has her GB kit on and her race number.

Cycling

Anna Henderson, Sport & Exercise graduate, won one of GB’s first medals in her incredible effort in the Women’s Individual Time Trial event, taking the silver in her 41-minute-9.83-seconds race. Anna navigated two broken collarbones in her 2024 season and a slippy course on the day to get on the podium at her first Olympic Games. 

Hockey

The hockey competition saw five alumni in the GB squad and current student Hannah Pearce play for Team South Africa. In a semi-final clash that saw GB pip RSA to the post with a 2-1 win, the women fought hard against the Netherlands, who then went on to claim the gold, with a goal from alumna Hannah French.

Rugby Sevens

Former TASS scholar and alumna Heather Cowell competed with GB in the group stages of the competition, and made it through to the quarter-finals. Heather scored a try for the team in their first game against Ireland and they won 21-12. Then, in the quarter-finals, GB took on Team USA, which ended 7-17.

Heather Cowell faces camera in her red Team GB rugby sevens kit, smiling and right fist in the air

Swimming

Current scholar Ollie Morgan, coached by UoB Sport coach Gary Humpage, swam in multiple events, including the Men’s 100m backstroke, where he reached the final, and the Men’s 4x100m backstroke final, where he swam alongside Adam Peaty, and produced his fastest time of the week. Ollie also got to the semi-finals of the 200m Backstroke – an incredible achievement for his first ever Olympic Games.

CategoriesAnnouncement

#PathwaytoParis catch up: Awesome Athletics alumna bring home bronze

#PathwaytoParis catch up | Awesome Athletics alumna bring home bronze

It’s been an astonishing final few days of the Paris games for Birmingham representatives, with two alumna winning a medal a piece in the Athletics competition. It was a proud podium moment for both Georgia Bell in the 1500m, and Hannah Kelly in the 4x400m, who secured brilliant bronze in their races for GB.

Georgia Bell

Two years ago, if you’d told alumna Georgia Bell that she’d be swapping the parkruns of London for a podium at the 2024 Paris Games, she might have thought that was just a dream. But imagine the reality: quitting a successful track career in 2017 due to the pressure it was putting on your body, going for a causal parkrun in 2022, and then becoming a Summer Games medallist at 30 years old, all whilst working a challenging job in cybersecurity. It’s been quite a couple of years for Georgia, and we were so excited to see her not only get a brilliant bronze in the final of the Women’s 1500m but also run a British record in the process!

After coming second (3:59.49) in the semi-final behind Olympic- and World-record holder Faith Kipyegon from Kenya, Georgia faced the world’s best in the final on 10 August. With just under two seconds separating first place and third, Georgia ran the race of her life to break the British record and make the podium in an incredible 3min 52.61seconds. Not only was it Georgia’s debut Games, but the final was also the fastest women’s 1500m race in Olympic history.

Hannah Kelly

If that wasn’t inspiring enough, 9 August saw staff member and former UoB student Hannah Kelly take to the track with her teammates for the 4x400m Women’s relay heat. Hannah took the second leg of the relay for Great Britain, and the squad smashed the challenge, coming in second overall behind USA with a time of 3:24.72 – a miniscule .01 of a second ahead of the third-place runners, France, and a season best for the team.

This success enabled the GB 4x400m team to progress to the final, where Hannah’s teammates ran a national record and came away with a bronze medal for the whole squad. On becoming an Olympian, Hannah said on Instagram that ‘it’s going to take a while for this one to sink in’. Congratulations Hannah!

Swimming club member in poolCategoriesAnnouncement

#PathwaytoParis catch up: Hockey, Swimming and Athletics – Day 11

#PathwaytoParis catch up | The Birmingham contingent in Paris

The Athletics competition started, and in it were a few familiar faces – namely, Georgia Bell and Imranur Rahman starting off proceedings with their events. Ollie Morgan was back doing what he does best, and the women’s hockey team saw Hannah French score another goal for the GB side in what was to be their last Olympics appearance this year.

Athletics

Alumnus Imranur Rahman competed in the Men’s 100m for Bangladesh, and although he placed 6th in his heat and didn’t qualify for the next round, Imranur ran a season best of 10.73, with the quickest reaction time of his group. A pretty impressive effort with the eyes of the world on you!

News just in: alumna Georgia Bell qualified from her heat for the Women’s 1500m with a run of 4.00.29; second in her race! ‘Comfortably qualifying’ as well as GB teammate Laura Muir, Georgia will face the next rounds over the next few days, so we have everything crossed for her!

Hockey

The women’s GB team faced world number one side the Netherlands in the quarter-final yesterday, and despite a goal from alumna Hannah French – again! – at 20 minutes in at a penalty corner, the women just weren’t able to achieve the lead. The Dutch team sprinted off the first whistle strong, scoring less than one minute in, and then increasing their lead to 3-1 by full time. 

Swimming

Ollie completed his debut games with a 200m Backstroke semi-final in which he finished 6th. Just a few days later, Ollie was part of the men’s 4x100m relay team alongside Olympic royalty Peaty, Richards and Scott, and it was here he produced his fastest time of the week, starting off the medley with a 52.83 split. Speaking to Eurosport, Ollie said:

‘I’m happy with that, it was my fastest this week so to be stepping up on day nine and producing that I’m really happy. We would’ve liked to be in the medals but I’m sure we’ll be back.
 
‘Seeing all the support we get from back home and here, seeing countless GB flags around the arena, I’m just really happy to be stepping up with these three boys.’

Read about all of our confirmed athletes, coaches and support staff in Paris at the link below, and stay tuned for more #PathwaytoParis updates.

University official press release
Bud Baldaro's certificate for the Sport Hall of Fame.CategoriesAnnouncement

Sport Hall of Famers heading to Paris Para Games

Sport Hall of Famers heading to Paris

PATHWAY TO PARIS – University of Birmingham Sport Hall of Fame inductees Penny Briscoe OBE and Lora Fachie OBE will play their role in ensuring success at next month’s Para Games 2024. 

 

Following the inaugural launch of the University of Birmingham Sport Hall of Fame last year, two of our inductees will be doing all they can to ensure that GB come back with plenty of medals at this year’s Para Games.

 

Penny Briscoe OBE continues her role as Para GB’s Chef de Mission, a position she has held since 2014 as well as being the Director of Sport for the team.

 

As Para GB’s most successful ever Chef de Mission, Penny has facilitated an environment in which both athletes and staff can thrive, and ensured that para-sport continues to develop nationally and internationally.

 

Fellow Hall of Famer Lora Fachie OBE is also on her way to Paris, as the two-time Paralympic Games’ Pursuit Champion and multiple Para-Cycling World Championships medallist joins the Para Cycle team once again. Lora already has four Paralympic medals to her name, having won gold and silver in Tokyo and gold and bronze in Rio in 2016.

 

Lora will be hoping once again to secure a podium spot as she continues to build an incredible legacy as a true great. At Tokyo, Lora also broke the world record along with pilot Corrine Hall in the Women’s 3000m Individual Pursuit. 

 

The Games this year will get underway on Wednesday 28 August following the conclusion of the Olympics, and marks the first time that France has ever hosted a Para Games.

 

With more than 20 events taking place, 125 countries will be represented on the world stage with the games coming to a close on Sunday 8 September.

Discover more about Sport Hall of Fame
CategoriesAnnouncement

Bell beat Muir to secure Olympic spot

Bell beat Muir to secure a spot at the games

PATHWAY TO PARIS – Middle-distance runner and alumna Georgia Bell secured her Team GB spot at the UK Championships in June by running an impressive 4:10.69 to Muir’s 4:11.59.

 

Bell spent several years away from running and working a demanding full-time job, so after becoming British indoor 1500m champion earlier in the year, finishing fourth at the World Indoors in March, and taking silver in the European Indoors in Rome last month, Bell seems to be on an impressive upwards trajectory. She told Runner’s World that she doesn’t take her success for granted:

 

 

 

 

‘I go into every race thinking I want to grab every opportunity, not taking anything for granted, and I’m not afraid – I’ll just go for it and whatever happens, happens.’

The National Champion will compete in the 1500m at her debut Olympic Games.

Ollie Armstrong Athletics Canada Lead Physiologist #PathwayToParisCategoriesAnnouncement

The team behind the team at Paris: alumnus Ollie Armstrong

The team behind the team at Paris: alumnus Ollie Armstrong

PATHWAY TO PARIS – Sport & Exercise Science alumnus and former staff-member Ollie Armstrong will take the role as Lead Physiologist for Canadian Athletics at this summer’s sporting event.

 

Ollie has Birmingham in his blood, having done both his undergraduate and Masters degrees on campus and then coming back as a staff member for six years before happening on a job role with Canadian Cycling that eventually gave him a pathway to Paris. Now working for Athletics Canada, Ollie will be working with both the Olympic and Paralympic squads at the Games, and says it’s been an exciting dream come true.

 

‘It’s pretty surreal [to be involved in the Olympics]… It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid and to follow it through all the way, and do a degree and a Masters and then 12 years working in professional sport, to get to a moment to support athletes all the way through to a Games is pretty special.’

As Lead Physiologist, Ollie works with the athletes on strategies for things such as helping with the acclimation to the heat and cooling, and building common ground and relationships in a way athletes can take on board and turn it into something that means something to them – like winning medals.

Ollie was the Lead Physiologist for UoB Sport & Fitness and says his time at Birmingham was both wonderful and challenging, and helped shape the direction he was going to move in.

‘I’ve worked with different athletes across lots of sports, and this exposure has really shaped my thinking, how I approach things, how I practise, and I’ve worked with so many talented athletes and coaches and practitioners – it’s opened so many doors.’

Ollie is also working alongside fellow alumnus Simon Nathan, a Birmingham graduate who is now the High Performance Director for Athletics Canada.

Dean Miller Athletics, Endurance and Performance CoachCategoriesAnnouncement

Dean Miller to be Team GB’s Athletics Endurance Manager for Paris 2024

University of Birmingham’s Dean Miller to be Team GB’s Athletics Endurance Manager for Paris 2024

PATHWAY TO PARIS – Alumnus and current UoB Athletics team coach Dean Miller will be joining Team GB as part of the Paralympic coaching team for Paris 2024. As a Paralympian from London 2012 and European medallist over 1500m (T37), Dean will surely be a key member of the support team, and we can’t wait to see how the athletes fare under his tutelage.

Dean’s connection with the University began in 2007, where he did both an undergraduate and Masters degree, and he then stayed to train as a Sports Graduate when he made the Paralympic Games in 2012, where he competed on home soil at London 2012.

 

Following his successful competing career, Dean moved into coaching a number of years ago with immediate success. Dean now works with the British Athletics Para-Futures programme, and is helping to support athletes with their challenges in disability sport, as well as being a point-of-contact for the Talent Hub endurance athletes. His work at the University guides young adults into being more responsible and educated humans, as well as enhancing and advancing their athletic credentials. 

Dean is currently the Athletics Endurance Manager for the University of Birmingham club.

Hannah Kelly 4x 400m GB PathwayToParisCategoriesAnnouncement

Student, staff member, sprinter: Hannah Kelly heads for Paris

Student, staff member, sprinter: Hannah Kelly heads for Paris

PATHWAY TO PARIS – Hannah Kelly, known to us on campus as Law graduate and part of the Campus Services Car Parking team, has been selected as part of the 4x400m Relay Squad going to Paris for the 2024 Olympics!

Announcing the selection for her first ever Olympics on Instagram earlier this month, Hannah said her selection is  a ’dream come true’.

‘It’s been a tough few years on and off the track, but moments like this make everything worth it.’

Hannah secured a Bronze at the World Indoor Athletics Championships earlier this year as a pivotal part of Team GB’s Women’s 4x400m relay squad. This was her first World Championships and since then Hannah has gone from strength to strength, helping the relay team qualify for the Olympics in May, and making up part of the 4x400m relay team for Britain at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome. We can’t wait to see what Hannah can achieve at her first Olympics!

Imranur Rahman Bangladesh 100m #PathwayToParisCategoriesAnnouncement

Bangladesh National record-holder Imranur Rahman selected for Paris

Bangledesh National record-holder Imranur Rahman selected for Paris

PATHWAY TO PARIS – Dubbed ‘the fastest man in Bangladesh’, University of Birmingham alumnus Imranur Rahman, who graduated in 2016, has been selected to join the Bangladesh Athletics team heading to Paris in a matter of days for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Rahman already has a Gold under his belt, from the 2023 Asian Indoor championships in the 60m where he ran 6.59, and is tenth Asian Indoor Athletics Champion. For this year, though, the 31-year-old England-based sprinter will compete in the Men’s 100m – and with his history of running the fastest 100m sprint in Bangladesh since electronic timing began in the country – 10.05 seconds in 2022 – Rahman will certainly hope to rise to the challenge when the fastest men in the world meet at the end of the month. The Athletics finals will take place at the Stade de France between 1 – 11 August at 7pm each day.

Will Barnicoat close up with text 'BUCS Awards 2024'CategoriesAnnouncement Student News

Active Residences and Men’s XC Shortlisted for BUCS Awards

Active Residences and Men’s XC shortlisted for BUCS Awards

This year we have been nominated for two BUCS Awards. Our Active Residences programme and Men’s Cross Country Club have both been recognised for their outstanding achievements across 2023-24.

Active Residences 

Shortlisted for: Active Wellbeing Programme Award

 

Delivered in partnership with Accommodation, Active Residences is a free, year-round sport and exercise programme accessible to students living in UoB Halls.

  

Now in its second year of delivery, Active Residences was devised to address gaps in how sport engaged with the University community, focusing on increasing engagement amongst international students and ethnic minorities.

Last year, the programme was shortlisted for the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Award.

Active Res Yoga session
Active res student holding tennis racket on court

From safe spaces to run during dark evenings, to calming yoga classes, indoor and outdoor sport and other social events, the programme offers a diverse timetable of activities for students to get involved in. 

 

The Active Residences programme has been invaluable to many students looking to get involved in sport, either for the first time, or for those looking for ways to stay fit whilst making friends alongside their studies. Students have said: 

Active residences rounders group photo

‘Over Christmas, I was being downward both because of the weather and most of my friends were not there. I found out about Active Residences and my first session was cardio which I really enjoyed. Thank you for being so supportive, kind and friendly during these sessions.’  

 

‘I’m super grateful for this Active Res programme, it relieves my university stress and has single handedly improved my uni experience.’ 

 Coordinated and facilitated by students and staff, Head of Sport Development, Chris Anthony, reflects on what it means to be shortlisted for a BUCS Award this year: 

 

 ‘Active Residences has been a wonderfully collaborative programme to be a part of and it’s fantastic that all those that have made such a difference to the active wellbeing of students in our halls have been recognised for their hard work.’ 

More about Active Residences
Group photo of Men's XC medallists

Men’s Cross Country 

Shortlisted for BUCS Team of the Year Award 

 

Last month, our Men’s Cross Country Club won the National Team of the Year at our Sports Awards event. It’s great to see the club’s success and culture acknowledged at a national level in the BUCS Awards 2024. 

 

Headed by Dean Miller, the combined Athletics and Cross Country endurance club has expanded to a record 150 members and an additional 50+ alumni and associates who maintain strong connections with the University.  

It has been an incredible 12 months for the club, let’s recap some of the highlight achievements: 

 

 A record four athletes competed in the World University Cross Country Championships in Oman in February 2024, all of whom brought home team silverware. Dean was the GB Team Leader for this trip – which is once again the first time a UoB coach has held such a role.

 

The Men’s team this year completed their first ever clean sheet on the podium with Will Barnicoat taking GOLD, Tomer Tarragano Silver and Ollie Smart Bronze achieving Team GOLD in the BUCS Cross Country Long race. 

 

The Cross Country Short Team did not disappoint either with Elliot Morgan winning Silver, Sam Burkitt securing Bronze with overall Team Gold. Nine current students have also been selected to compete for GB at European level. 

Men's race ft Tyler Bilyard
Men's XC champs action photo

Dean describes the culture of the Men’s Cross Country Club: 

 

‘We are immensely proud of the depth and breadth of performance across the year.  The highlight being a record breaking and dominant BUCS Cross-Country victory, the energy and culture of the 80 strong group, led by Captain Michael Stevens has been paramount to these achievements..’

About the Coach 

 

Dean has taken the Athletics and Cross Country Club from strength to strength, winning Coach of the Year at the Sports Awards. In ParaAthletics, Dean led in school outreach and development of a para programme at the University alongside the Birmingham Athletics Academy which caters for 8-16 year old beginners in the sport.  

Dean holding Coach of the Year award
Explore our Athletics and XC Club