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
Team photo of the whole UoB Athletics team smiling at BUCS Outdoors 2023CategoriesStudent News

BEST EVER BUCS OUTDOORS MEDAL HAUL FOR BRUM

BEST EVER BUCS OUTDOORS MEDAL HAUL FOR BRUM

The UoB Athletics team had its most successful ever weekend at the BUCS Outdoor Athletics Championships in Manchester this weekend, culminating in its most successful year to date.

Male athletes hug at the finish line of the track at BUCS Outdoors 2023
Image credit: Issy Boffey
4 Female athletes smiling with yellow, blue and red facepaint at BUCS Outdoors 2023
Image credit: Issy Boffey

The annual event saw 80 athletes competing in the final event of the BUCS Outdoors calendar across the first weekend in May, and saw a staggering 19 medals hauled home by the team – beating the previous record of 15!

 

If that wasn’t enough, the club saw a record 49 top-8 placements (previous record of 31) and 65 finalists (previous record 54). This, plus the 24 personal bests accumulated in the process, saw UoB place second overall in both the men’s and women’s standing – for the first time in over 12 years at these Championships.

 

Luke Gunn, Head of Athletics and Head of Performance at UoB Sport & Fitness said it was a superb result.

 

“There were some incredible landmarks achieved from our athletes across the weekend – to name a few, Didi Okoh who was the first ever athlete to ever win four medals at one Championship; first time in modern BUCS that the men have won the 4x100m relay, 84% of the female finals being Birmingham representation. But it wasn’t just the results: as usual, Birmingham bought the atmosphere and it was fantastic to see and hear such support. A huge thank you to them and as always to our coaches, support staff and club development for their incredible work to organise these Championships.”

Didi Okoh with a bronze and gold medal
Didi Okoh with a bronze and gold medal. Credit: Issy Boffey
Female athletes smile with medals round their necks at BUCS Outdoors 2023
Image credit: Issy Boffey

A full list of our amazing medallists is as follows:

GOLD:

Tomer Tarragano, 10,000m

Kristian Imroth, Steeplechase (the first ever Birmingham 1-2-3 clean sweep)

Abbie Ives, 800m

Men’s 4x100m (first time in modern BUCS, that the men have won 4x100m relay)

Didi Okoh, Ambulant Long Jump (first athlete to ever win 4 medals at one championships)

SILVER: 

Didi Okoh, Ambulant Discus

Orla Brennan, 400m Hurdles

Angel Diaz, 110m Hurdles

Tom Bridger, Steeplechase

Women’s 4x400m

BRONZE:

Didi Okoh, Ambulant 100m

Fenton Bishop-Trimmings, Javelin

Amelia Briggs-Goode, 400m Hurdles (the final of which was made up of 50% of Birmingham athletes)

Elliot Moran, Steeplechase

Amelia Quirk, 5000m

Tyler Bilyard, 1500m

Lily Holt, High Jump

Didi Okoh, Ambulant Shot

Women’s 4x100m

 

Plus, Kirsty-Anne Ebbage was the first non-combined eventer to make 3 individual finals (Shot Put, Hammer and Discus).

Together with BUCS Indoors earlier this year and Cross Country, these results push us above last year’s BUCS record number of points and medals, with a whopping 35 medals and 6 team medals; totalling 398 points in 2023 so far…with Combined Events still to come!

A huge congratulations to all of our competitors, and thank you to the supporters and coaches who give up so much of their time to help – particularly to Jade Surman, who led this Championship’s logistics for her first time with consummate ease and professionalism; and also to Sprint Coach, Mike Bennett, who had an incredible Championships directly contributing to 5 of our medals and our best sprints squad depth ever.

 

All images credit: Issy Boffey

UOB ATHLETICS AND CROSS COUNTRY WEBSITE
CategoriesStudent News

ATHLETICS CLUB VS ALTITUDE AT FONT ROMEU

ATHLETICS CLUB VS ALTITUDE: FONT ROMEU 2023

This Easter saw 50 Athletes from the University of Birmingham’s Athletics Club head to the French Pyrenees for an Altitude Training Camp.

The picturesque Font Romeu hosted the group for a three-week training camp with the aim of preparing the squad for the start of the 2023 summer season, which kicked off at the end of April with the BUCS Outdoor Championships. 

Headed by the club’s Endurance Coach Dean Miller, the athletes followed in the trails often tread by Sir Mo Farah and Paula Radcliffe. The natural ‘skinny air’ experienced with training at such high altitudes creates an ideal training camp environment for the group.

 

Dean, having previously trained in the area himself as an athlete, now spear-heads the University team’s coaching programme. With packed-daily schedules for each athlete, Dean was also supported by Simon Eustace and Dave Sheldon from the Sport & Fitness Performance Centre, as well as Mike Gosling (Physio) and coaches Luke Gunn, Jethro McGraw and Sally Straw.

 

The camp is a culmination of months of preparation with the Performance Centre and Athletics coaches. 

 

Athletes undertook a gruelling training regime, which would typically include a morning threshold training session of between five to nine miles, and an evening run or cross-training session up to five miles!

 

Want to find out more about our Athletics and Cross-Country opportunities? Visit the dedicated webpage now!

UOB ATHLETICS AND CROSS COUNTRY WEBSITE
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
Member swimming in UoB Sport & Fitness poolCategoriesMember News Student News

Updated Swimming Pool Timetable

Updated Swimming Pool Timetable

Our Swimming Pool timetable has been amended, and will take effect from Saturday 11 March 2023.

Changes are reflected below:

Saturday’s Deep & Shallow has been changed from 17:00-18:30 to 17:00-18:00

 

Saturday’s Shallow has been changed from 18:30-20:00 to 18:00-20:00

To keep up to date with any future changes, please make sure to reference the full pool timetable ahead of your sessions.

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!

Image of Hockey scholars in their UB New Balance kit at the hockey pitchesCategoriesStudent News

Talented Hockey Scholars Selected for EDP Programme

Talented Hockey Scholars Selected for GB EDP Programme 2023

Four of our Elite Dual Career Athlete Pathway (EDCAP) scholars have been selected for the highly competitive GB Elite Development Programme (EDP) 2023. This programme is designed for Hockey players who are identified as having the potential to be medal-winning Olympians, providing them with opportunities to excel and reach their full performance potential at an international level.

 

Evie, Millie, Betsan, Emma (from left to right) are part of our Women 1’s Hockey Club, representing the Lions at various national and international Hockey events.

 

We asked them a few questions about their recent success!

What aspect of the EDP Programme have you found most valuable so far?

 

‘I think just the experiences it gives you, so going on tournaments abroad- we had the World Cup last year which was an incredible experience. It kind of sets you up for more than just Hockey.’- Emma (reselected for the EDP)

 

‘For me it’s great to keep the contact with a lot of the girls I’ve been playing with for such a long time. It’s just nice socially to go and have a good time and play at a really good standard.’ – Millie (reselected for the EDP)

What part of the programme are you most looking forward to?

 

‘I’m most excited to meet new people and play Hockey at the highest level. Coming from a University that already provides good Hockey, I now get to try my hardest in a new environment’. – Betsan (new to the EDP)

Betsan in action on the pitch
Emma sat with Hockey team

How has the support from the EDCAP programme helped you with your goals?

 

‘I think we’re lucky to have such good coaches here, Chris helps so much on the pitch with sessions twice a week, then we have Mark in the gym, and then we have Nutritionists and Physiotherapists that keeps us well and taped up, so we can still be playing and training.’- Evie (reselected for EDP)

 

‘It’s always flexible, at any given point you can pop in and see someone and get advice or change a session if you need to change it. So the availability of the support is really good here as well.‘- Millie

Hockey Goalkeeper Evie Wood in action
Millie Gigglio in action on the pitch

What’s the next thing you’re working towards?

 

‘The next big tournament is the Junior World Cup in Chile in December, and then there’s just other smaller tournaments and training camps.’- Emma

What would your advice be to anyone looking to get into Hockey?

‘I think definitely surround yourself with people who have similar objectives to you, like if you can go out there and join a team that is a standard that you aspire to be that really helps. Take a look at your life as a whole, we put in a lot of work off the pitch as well on the pitch, it doesn’t just come down to what you do on a training day or a game, it comes down to your decisions the minute you wake up to the minute you go to sleep. I guess take more of a holistic approach to it.‘- Millie

A big congratulations to our scholars on this incredible achievement. We can’t wait to see what they go on to accomplish through the programme as a result of their hard work and commitment to Hockey! 

 

To learn more about our sport scholarships, check out our dedicated webpage. 

 

Interested in joining a Hockey team? We have a number of opportunities for you to get involved, ranging from beginner level all the way up to competitive.

Photo credits: Eva Gilbert and Nathan Styles Porter

New Balance logo next to UoB Sport & FitnessCategoriesStudent News

Time for a new look: New Balance x UoB

TIME FOR A NEW LOOK: NEW BALANCE X UOB

This year saw the University of Birmingham kit project being taken on by New Balance, a multi-year partnership for the supply of all our playing kit, training wear, leisurewear and sport staff uniform. This was an incredibly exciting step for the University – not only were we able to bring this global brand to our students, but it meant a new look, especially for the teamwear. 

Traditionally, our gold lion directly from the University crest has been synonymous with Sport, and this very much still plays a part in our identity – our teams, athletes and participants are Birmingham Lions, and we are extremely proud of being part of that Pride. But, when this opportunity presented itself, we knew it was time to design a kit that felt representative of everyone on campus – however sporty or not you are. Because we are one community, and we wanted to create a kit that connected the whole campus, and everyone who is a part of it.

 

It was important to us to honour the history of the red from the University crest for the teamwear, ensuring our players can stand out proudly on game days. But how to ensure that people would want to be a part of the community and don the kit, even if they weren’t competing?

 

After a number of ideas and designs, working with elements like the lion, the University skyline, and Old Joe, it was clear that one iconic building stood out and was a fondly-regarded symbol of the campus – our clock tower. As any UoB alumni will proudly attest, Old Joe – named after Joseph Chamberlain, the first Chancellor – is the tallest free-standing clocktower in the world, and will probably be the first thing people say when offering facts about the University’s story.

 

This is how the patterned design on our teamwear came to be. A geometric representation of the clock face is repeated across the bottom half of our kit – in a subtle nod to our campus.

For those not playing for a club, a leisurewear range – comfortable loungewear to wear anywhere – is also in the pipeline. Stay tuned – we will be announcing when this is available to buy soon!


We are excited to be working with their product design team on other projects, focusing on specific designs for key underrepresented groups. All in all, it’s a very exciting time to be part of the Pride and we are delighted to be partnering with this global brand.

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.

Volunteer Becki sits on giant letters spelling #B2022CategoriesStudent News

Five Minutes With: Becki McWhinnie

FIVE MINUTES WITH: BECKI MCWHINNIE

We caught up with alumnae, staff member and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games volunteer Becki McWhinnie, to find out what it was like to be behind the scenes of the city’s biggest sporting event ever!

Q: What’s your current role at the University? 

 

A: Club Development Manager for UoB Sport & Fitness – this means I manage the student sport side of things, including our 56 sports clubs!

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer for the Games? 

 

A: To get involved with a unique experience on my doorstep. I didn’t want to have the fear of missing out and wanted to be as involved as possible! I played cricket when I was at the University and it is still my favourite sport, so to have the chance to be a part of that at an international level was too good to miss – especially as I used to play at Edgbaston where the event would be! 

Q: What role did you have? What were you expected to do? 

 

A: I was a Field of Play Team Member at Edgbaston, supporting the grounds staff in making sure the field was up to scratch for the players. This included things like laying out the (very heavy) boundary rope, checking access to the pitch and putting the covers on when it rained.

Q: Where were you based? 

 

A: Mainly at Edgbaston Cricket Ground. It was great because you got to know a few of the other regular volunteers, but also met new team members every day, so it was very varied. 

Q: Did you get to see any of the Games as a spectator? 

 

A: Yes! I was lucky enough to get tickets for hockey, diving and netball. Hockey was my favourite experience by far, watching players and spectators come from all over the word and marvel at the beauty of campus. I was very proud to be a part of it both from the volunteer side and from the alumni / staff side! 

Q: How was the experience? What are your favourite memories? 

 

 

A: Amazing. Being on pitch side during the India- Pakistan game was unbelievable. Two teams with the best supporters created the most amazing atmosphere. 

Q: Do you have any unusual/amusing stories of things that occurred?  


A: I did sustain a very impressive bruise from the boundary rope at one point – it is so heavy that you need a number of people to move it in sync, so if someone is out of time and you lose your hold it gives you a bit of a bump! 

Q: How did it feel to know your place of work was hosting the Games, and many of your colleagues were involved? 

 

 

A: It made it feel so much like we were a part of it, and felt like sharing something special with everyone. Seeing so many people you recognised when walking around campus as a volunteer or staff make it feel like such a great community.