Competing at an Olympic Games: Psychology

From sport psychologists to specialised coaching techniques which replicate the pressure of competition, University of Bath-based athletes dedicate an immense amount of time to preparing for the clinical moments faced at an Olympic Games. Having the mental edge can often separate champions from participants and later this week University of Bath-based modern pentathletes, including world number one Jamie Cooke, will have their psychological toughness challenged in arguably one of the most mentally testing events of the...

15 August 2016

Rio 2016: Plenty of positives for Emily Diamond to take from Olympic debut

University of Bath-based athlete Emily Diamond says she is taking plenty of positives from her on-track Olympic debut, despite a far-from-perfect build-up at Rio 2016. Laid low by food poisoning just 48 hours before she was due to run, Diamond showed tremendous spirit and resilience to not only compete in her heat but also qualify for the semi-finals. The 25-year-old then ran an excellent time of 51.49 from lane one, just outside her personal best...

15 August 2016

Rio 2016: Fourth silver for Bath-based swimmers as Chris Walker-Hebborn wins relay medal

Chris Walker-Hebborn capped an outstanding week for University of Based-swimmers in the pool at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as he helped Team GB’s men to silver in the 4x100m medley relay. That was the fourth silver of the Games for the British Swimming National Centre Bath training group, adding to the two from Jazz Carlin and one from Siobhan-Marie O’Connor. And they went mighty close to returning to the Sports Training Village with five...

14 August 2016

Rio 2016: Weightlifter Sonny Webster’s hat trick adds to “incredible” experience on Olympic debut

Weightlifter Sonny Webster said competing at Rio 2016 had been “the most amazing experience” of his life after the University of Bath graduate made his Olympic debut on Saturday. And he also claimed an unusual record, becoming the first Olympic weightlifter to compete wearing a hat as he lifted 148kg in the snatch and 185kg in the clean and jerk for 333kg overall to finish sixth in Group B of the men’s 94kg competition. “That...

14 August 2016

Rio 2016: Emily Diamond overcomes food poisoning to reach 400m semi-finals

University of Bath-based athlete Emily Diamond overcame food poisoning to book her place in Sunday’s 400m semi-finals after a courageous effort on her Olympic debut at Rio 2016. The British 400m Champion had to spend Friday in bed but was determined to get out on the Maracana track for her heat on Saturday. She came home fourth in 51.76, missing out on one of the two automatic qualifying places, but that was more than quick...

14 August 2016

Rio 2016: Heather Olver ends Olympic badminton debut on a winning note

University of Bath graduate Heather Olver finished her Rio 2016 Olympic Games on a high note as she and Lauren Smith won their final ladies’ doubles match. Defeats to tough opponents from Malaysia and Indonesia in their opening Group C matches meant Olver, a Coach Education and Sports Development graduate, and Smith could not qualify for the next round. However, they got the victory their performances deserved when they beat Lok Yan Poon and Ying...

14 August 2016

Rio 2016: Another super silver from Jazz Carlin takes Bath swimming medal count to three

University of Bath-based swimmer Jazz Carlin became Team GB’s first double medallist of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games when she won 800m freestyle silver in the early hours of Saturday morning. The 25-year-old, full of confidence after claiming 400m freestyle silver on Monday, enjoyed a race-long battle with Hungary’s reigning European champion Boglarka Kapas before getting the edge by two-tenths of a second in 8:16.17. Gold went to outstanding American Katie Ledecky in a world-record...

13 August 2016

Rio 2016: Helen Glover and Heather Stanning retain Olympic title and create more rowing history

They learnt to row at the University of Bath, now Helen Glover and Heather Stanning have created more sporting history by winning women’s pair gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Four years after becoming the first British women rowers to win an Olympic title with their unforgettable success at London 2012, Glover and Stanning became the first British women to retain their crown with an imperious display on the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas. Unbeaten...

12 August 2016

Rio 2016: Swimmer Jazz Carlin in the mix for second medal of Olympic Games

University of Bath-based swimmer Jazz Carlin will bid for her second medal of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in the early hours of Saturday morning after qualifying third-fastest for the 800m freestyle final. Full of confidence after her superb silver medal in the 400m freestyle, Carlin clocked 8:19.67 in the fastest heat of the day to put herself in a good lane for the final (2.20am BST). “I didn’t expect it to be 8:19, that’s...

12 August 2016

Rio 2016: Ben Fletcher edged out of Olympics but helps inspire next generation of judoka

A determined display from Team Bath's Ben Fletcher wasn't enough to avoid defeat as the Team GB judoka was knocked out of the Rio Olympic Games in the round of 32. In a fight watched by team-mates, coaches and youngsters back at the University of Bath dojo ahead of a have-a-go judo session, Fletcher lost by ippon to reigning -90kg World Junior Champion Beka Gviniashvili. In the opening minutes of the contest Fletcher, making his Olympic debut, held off the...

11 August 2016