University of Bath swimmers, rowers and tennis aces excited to represent GB at Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games
Three Team Bath Breakthrough Programme student-athletes are among a 10-strong contingent of athletes and coaches from the University of Bath heading to Germany for the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games.
Jemima Hall, who graduates in Business next week, and Mathematics student Christian Ryan will represent Great Britain in the swimming pool in Berlin, while Sport and Exercise Science student Rebekah Court has been named in the rowing squad along with South West Performance Development Academy (PDA) training partner Josh Knight.
Team Bath Tennis aces Esther Adeshina, Grace Piper and Toby Samuel have also been selected for the Games – the second-biggest international multi-sport event after the Olympics – which are taking place from 17th to 27th July.
Hall, who will contest the 100m and 200m freestyle events and trains with the Aquatics GB Bath Performance Centre, said: “I’ve been to a few international events in the past but I’ve never had that experience of being on a bigger team, wearing the GB kit and staying in the Village, so I’m really excited. I’ve been a student-athlete here at Bath for five years, so it’s good to end that on a high.”
Student Performance Sport Swimming Squad member Ryan, who races in the breaststroke, added: “This is my first time racing internationally so it’s a good step in my swimming career and something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. Hopefully I’ll swim well and get some PBs but I just want to take in the whole new experience.”
Mark Skimming, Head of Swimming at the University, is Team Leader for the BUCS [British Universities & Colleges Sport] swimming squad in Germany and said: “It’s fantastic to be part of the team again, we have great staff and some great swimmers with lots of potential.
“I have been involved as a team member twice before and truly believe the WUGS are a fantastic event. It offers an extremely high level of competition from all around the world.”
Heading to the Regattabahn in Duisburg for the rowing is Court, who will contest the women’s double sculls alongside Rachel Bradley of Newcastle University, and Minerva Bath RC’s Knight, who will race in the men’s single scull.
Both train at the University with the British Rowing South West PDA led by Dan Harris and Tom Selby, who are both part of the BUCS coaching team for Germany.
Lead coach Harris said: “The World University Games is a fantastic event and one that I know our student athletes will thoroughly enjoy. We have a very strong team, capable of challenging for podiums and medals, so we’re excited to see what they can deliver against the best student athletes in the world.”
Taking to the tennis courts in Essen are Adeshina, a two-time Master’U silver medallist for GB, Piper and former Junior Wimbledon player Samuel. All three trained at Team Bath as juniors and have returned to the Pro Team at the Sports Training Village, where they are coached by Ian MacDonald, after studying and competing in the United States.
Bath students have enjoyed great success at the World University Games in recent years including gold medals for swimmers Jess Dickons and Jay Lelliott, and footballer Grace McCatty.
Others have used the Games as springboards for future success, including swimmer Anna Hopkin who gained international experience with BUCS in 2017 before going on to win Olympic gold with Team GB at Tokyo 2020.
Visit teambath.com/athlete-zone to find out more about how the University of Bath supports student-athletes in their dual sporting and academic careers.
