University of Bath graduate Alexandra Rickham says she “couldn’t be happier” after being named in the ParalympicsGB sailing squad for this summer’s Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. It will be a third appearance at the Games for Rickham and SKUD 18 partner Niki Birrell, who made their debuts at Beijing 2008 and won bronze at London 2012. Rickham is the first athlete with University of Bath connections to be officially selected for Rio 2016. “I couldn’t...
The road to Rio will travel through the Czech Republic, Peru, Argentina, Georgia and Turkey for University of Bath judoka Jan Gosiewski over the next few weeks. So ahead of his final push for a dream Olympic place in Team GB, the 27-year-old has launched a crowd-funding campaign to help cover the costs of his extensive travels. The global nature of judo means that Gosiewski has to go around the world to take part in...
University of Bath sporting scholar Thomas Tsiopanis has been named as Cypriot Male Swimmer of the Year. The 22-year-old, who is in the second year of a Sports Performance degree, received the accolade after a 2015 that saw him set six national records – two of them while competing at the World University Games in South Korea. He clocked 2:07.74 in the 200m individual medley, beating the record he had previously set at the 2015 Games...
Qualification for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games is within touching distance for University of Bath-based wheelchair fencer Piers Gilliver after he won another IWAS World Cup medal in Hungary on Friday. Silver in the epee competition in Eger was the 21-year-old’s sixth medal of the Paralympic qualification period and cements his status as number one in the world with just four tournaments remaining before Rio. The top four fencers on May 31 will earn Paralympic...
Prince Harry today dropped in on the University of Bath’s Sports Training Village to watch and support athletes seeking selection to the 100-strong UK team for the 2016 Invictus Games. The Invictus Games Foundation Patron met with serving and veteran servicemen and women who are using sport as part of their recovery. Staff at the Sports Training Village already have expertise in hosting multi-sport and single-sport disabled sports events with the University having been ParalympicsGB’s...
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has named University of Bath-based wheelchair fencer Piers Gilliver among its ‘Ones to Watch’ athletes ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Gilliver is currently ranked as the number one epee fencer in the world after an excellent 2015 that saw him win two World Cup gold medals, two Grand Prix titles and silver at the IWAS World Championships. The 21-year-old is one of six wheelchair fencers picked out by...
Olympic, World and European rowing champion Heather Stanning has praised the University of Bath after being named as Athlete of the Month by World Rowing. In an interview with the sport’s governing body, Stanning reflected on how she took up rowing while studying Sports Technology and how her degree has had a positive impact on her outstanding sporting career. “I was identified by [coach] Paul Stannard for the [GB Rowing Team] Start Programme,” she recalled....
Welcoming the Wallabies, hosting Europe’s finest all-round athletes and celebrating success on the domestic and international stage – 2015 has been another sporting year to savour at the University of Bath. And 2016 promises to be another terrific 12 months, with the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place during the University’s 50th anniversary celebrations. The Road to Rio passed through the Sports Training Village (STV) in August 2015 as the Modern Pentathlon European...
University of Bath-based wheelchair fencer Piers Gilliver moved closer to Rio 2016 Paralympic Games qualification by winning epee bronze at the Sharjah World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. The 21-year-old’s latest international medal success – his fifth during the Rio qualification period – ensured he remains top of the ranking list going into 2016. Gilliver, whose lead coach is Baldip Sahota, won five of his six poule bouts in Sharjah to go into the...
Competitive modern pentathlon returns to the University of Bath for the first time since this summer’s hugely-successful European Championships when Pentathlon GB stage their first ranking event of the Rio 2016 Olympic season on Saturday. Former World Champion Samantha Murray will be among the big names in action at the Sports Training Village as pentathletes look to secure their place in the British squad ahead of a massive year. A busy day starts with the...