September Showdown silver for U21s as emerging Team Bath Netball players impress

A Team Bath Netball squad featuring a host of England U21 internationals, Superleague players and emerging talent reached the final of the inaugural U21 September Showdown. The brand-new England Netball competition saw six Vitality Netball Superleague teams joined by regional side West Midlands Warriors and a select team from hosts University of Worcester for four days of action. Team Bath, captained by University of Bath student Sophie Carter, topped Pool B with wins against Surrey...

16 September 2016

Rio 2016: Paul Blake looking to upgrade on London silver in Friday afternoon final

Paul Blake will be going for gold on Friday afternoon as the University of Bath-based athlete gets his Rio 2016 Paralympic Games campaign up and running. Blake – coached by Rob Ellchuk at the Sports Training Village – goes in the T36 400m final at 2.15pm BST, looking to upgrade on the silver medal he won in the event at the London 2012 Games and the 2013 and 2015 World Championships. It starts a busy...

16 September 2016

Rio 2016: Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell sail into silver-medal position after up and down day

University of Bath graduate Alexandra Rickham and partner Niki Birrell have moved up to the silver-medal position after an eventful Wednesday in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games sailing regatta. They finished second and first in the opening two races of the day in the two-person keelboat SKUD18 but a kit failure sent them back to the marina early in the third. With all boats able to discard their worst score, Rickham and Birrell know there...

15 September 2016

Rio 2016: Silver lining as Piers Gilliver ends GB’s wait for wheelchair fencing medal

University of Bath-based Piers Gilliver became the first British wheelchair fencer in 24 years to win a Paralympic Games medal when he took silver at Rio 2016 on Tuesday. Gilliver, who celebrates his 22nd birthday on Saturday, only missed out on the gold medal by a couple of points after being edged out 15-13 by China’s Sun Gang in a tense Category A epee final in the Carioca Arena. “I really wanted the gold but...

14 September 2016

Rio 2016: Swimmers Sascha Kindred and Ellie Simmonds rewrite history books during golden 30 minutes

Former University of Bath swimmer Sascha Kindred won his seventh title in his last-ever Paralympic race on Monday as he smashed the SM6 200m individual medley world record at Rio 2016. Ellie Simmonds, who has a honorary degree at the University, matched his achievement in the equivalent women’s final during a stunning 38-minute spell that saw ParalympicsGB win three gold medals in the pool. Kindred won the first two of his Paralympic titles back at...

13 September 2016

Rio 2016: Late drama as Nicole Walters guides Melissa Reid to para-triathlon bronze

University of Bath-based Nicole Walters guided visually-impaired Melissa Reid to a dramatic PT5 bronze medal as para-triathlon made a successful debut at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. An excellent swim in the Praia de Copacabana and a strong ride put Reid and Walters firmly in medal contention after the first two stages of Sunday’s competition. They lost ground on the leaders in the run and were overtaken by Elizabeth Baker and Jillian Petersen of the...

12 September 2016

Sporting ambassadors help families get active during MJ Church Fun Day

Staff, families and friends of Team Bath’s new partners MJ Church got active during a fabulous Fun Day at the University of Bath Sports Training Village on Saturday. Hundreds of people of all ages tried their hands at a variety of sports including athletics, badminton, boccia, fencing, judo, tennis and skeleton on the unique outdoor push track. There were also inflatables, climbing walls and zip wires for have-a-go youngsters to enjoy while their parents enjoyed...

10 September 2016

New arrival Jess Shaw among super seven to sign for Team Bath Netball for 2017 Superleague

England U21 international Jess Shaw is among an exciting eight-strong group of players who have committed themselves to Team Bath Netball for the 2017 Vitality Netball Superleague season. Returning favourites Eboni Beckford-Chambers, Samantha Cook, Chelsea Lewis, Paige Reed, Mia Ritchie and Rachel Shaw, Jess’s older sister, also join new arrival Layla Guscoth – an England defender and former Superleague player of the year – in forming the foundations of a dynamic squad for the year ahead....

09 September 2016

Rio 2016: Polly Maton leaps to top-seven finish on Paralympic Games debut

University of Bath-based athlete Polly Maton finished a fine seventh on her Paralympic Games debut as she contested the T47 long jump final on the opening day of Rio 2016. The 16-year-old, coached by Colin Baross at the Sports Training Village, produced her best clearance of 5.10m with her opening jump of the competition in the Olympic Stadium. That ensured she was one of the top eight jumpers in the 12-strong field to progress to...

09 September 2016

Rio 2016: Nicole Walters hoping to guide Melissa Reid to para-triathlon podium place

University of Bath graduate Nicole Walters will enjoy a moment of sporting history this week when para-triathlon makes its debut appearance at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Walters will be guide to visually-impaired triathlete Melissa Reid in the PT5 competition on Sunday, September 11. After a 750m swim in the Praia de Copacabana off the iconic Copacabana Beach, they will then cycle 20k before running 5k. The ParalympicsGB duo, who won gold on their debut...

08 September 2016