“Runner’s high” for Bob Smith as University fundraisers hit streets for Bath Half

Staff and athletes at the University of Bath were among the 12,700 runners who took part in the Vitality Bath Half Marathon on Sunday. For Bob Smith, Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Team Bath MCTA International High-Performance Tennis Academy, it was his 11th half-marathon in as many weeks as he continues his inspirational fundraising effort for the Wallace & Gromit Grand Appeal at Bristol Children’s Hospital. His baby daughter Autumn was rushed to...

15 March 2016

University of Bath sporting students seek final flourish on BUCS Big Wednesday

Student badminton, rugby league, tennis and water polo teams from the University of Bath are hoping for a brilliant BUCS Big Wednesday as they prepare to compete in national finals. This Wednesday (March 16) will see thousands of student-athletes from across the country in action as the BUCS [British Universities & Colleges Sport] cup competitions reach their climax. The University of Bath men’s tennis 1st team (pictured) are looking for plenty of home support when...

15 March 2016

All-round ability secures BUCS modern pentathlon gold for scholar Eilidh Prise

A series of strong performances from talented all-rounder Eilidh Prise saw the University of Bath sporting scholar win gold at the Ladies’ BUCS Modern Pentathlon Championships. The Mathematics student, supported by a Bill Whiteley Scholarship, was the top performer in the fencing, swimming and combined run/shoot as she finished with 5,224 points in total – nearly 1,000 more than her nearest opponent. Prise – who made her senior UIPM World Cup debut with Pentathlon GB...

15 March 2016

Judo duo Ben Fletcher and Emmanuel Nartey strike gold at Casablanca African Open

Team Bath judoka Ben Fletcher and Emmanuel Nartey both took major steps on the road to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as they won gold at the Casablanca African Open on Sunday. Gary Hall also claimed his second Continental Open medal of the year during an impressive weekend in Morocco. Victory in the -100kg weight division was the perfect way for Fletcher to celebrate his 24th birthday. “It was a good day’s judo – I’m not...

14 March 2016

Jenny Nesbitt leads GB to team silver at World University Cross Country Championships

University of Bath sporting scholar Jenny Nesbitt led Great Britain to a team silver medal at the World University Cross Country Championships in Monte Cassino, Italy. And she was unfortunate not to collect an individual medal as well after a gutsy performance which saw Nesbitt lead from the front before being overtaken by Turkey’s Sevilay Eytemis and Japanese duo Moeno Shimizu and Maki Izumida in the last 500m. “I’m slightly gutted to just miss out...

14 March 2016

Joe Choong and Freyja Prentice are highest Pentathlon GB finishers during challenging Rio 2016 test event

University of Bath student Joe Choong was the Pentathlon GB team’s highest-placed finisher during a challenging weekend at the UIPM World Cup in Rio, Brazil. Choong, who studies Mathematics, was 13th in the men’s final on Sunday after fine performances in the fencing and swimming disciplines. Jamie Cooke was 19th but Sport Performance student Tom Toolis and Politics & International Relations graduate Sam Curry did not qualify for the final, the latter being withdrawn from...

14 March 2016

No half measures from S&C coach Bob Smith in his marathon fundraising efforts for Bristol Children’s Hospital

University of Bath strength and conditioning coach Bob Smith will run his 11th half-marathon of the year on Sunday when he takes part in the 2016 Vitality Bath Half. It is part of an inspirational fundraising effort by Bob, Senior S&C coach with the Team Bath MCTA International High Performance Tennis Academy, which will see him run a half-marathon every week during 2016 – nearly 700 miles in total. He set himself the challenge to raise money...

11 March 2016

Young Team Bath Netball star Ella Powell-Davies helps England retain Netball Europe crown

Up-and-coming Team Bath Netball star Ella Powell-Davies enjoyed an international debut to remember as she helped England continue their dominance of the Netball Europe U17 Championship. The talented teenage defender, who celebrates her 17th birthday next week, helped the young Roses complete a clean sweep of victories in Gibraltar earlier this month. England’s quality at both ends of the court was immediately clear as they finished the opening quarter of their first match against Northern...

11 March 2016

Pentathlon GB quartet through to final of Rio 2016 Olympic Games test event

All four of the Pentathlon GB women’s team will get to compete in the Rio 2016 Olympic venues for a second time this week after qualifying for the final of the UIPM World Cup in Brazil. University of Bath graduates Samantha Murray, Kate French and Freyja Prentice all progressed through Thursday’s heats at the competition, which is doubling as a test event for this summer’s Olympic Games. Reigning World Junior Champion Francesca Summers also secured...

11 March 2016

Fit-again Freyja Prentice excited to compete at Rio 2016 Olympic Games test event

Freyja Prentice and her Pentathlon GB team-mates will compete in the Rio 2016 Olympic venues today as the second UIPM World Cup of the season gets under way. The competition in Brazil is doubling as an Olympic test event and University of Bath Biology graduate Prentice cannot wait to get started. “I am very excited about competing this week,” she said. “It is always good to get the first competition underway after such a long...

10 March 2016