Top six for Eilidh Child and new PB for Danny Talbot at World Athletics Championships

University of Bath-based athlete Eilidh Child finished sixth in the women’s 400m hurdles final at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Beijing. Danny Talbot ran a new personal best in a 200m semi-final won by Usain Bolt and fellow graduate Lawrence Clarke secured his place in the 110m hurdles semis. Child, coached by Malcolm Arnold at the Sports Training Village, ran a solid race but stuttered coming around the top bend and lost ground. She...

26 August 2015

BLOG: Seeing the work of our students in Zambia was a joy to behold

University of Bath students George Lavender and Abi Masters flew out to Africa this week to take part in the Zambia IDEALS programme. They are the second pair of students – following on from Alice Evans and Jade Traynor – to participate in the scheme this year, which sees student volunteers deliver PE lessons in Zambian schools and villages as well as set up sporting competitions between neighbouring communities. University of Bath Director of Sport...

26 August 2015

Eilidh Child through to final as Lawrence Clarke and Danny Talbot prepare for Beijing bows

University of Bath-based athlete Eilidh Child will contest the women’s 400m hurdles final at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Beijing after enduring a nervous wait in the semi-finals. Child, coached by Malcolm Arnold at the Sports Training Village, needed a top-two finish in the Bird’s Nest Stadium on Monday to automatically qualify and was well placed coming off the last hurdle. However, she lost momentum and finished third behind Cassandra Tate of the USA...

24 August 2015

BLOG: How volunteers helped make European Championships such a success

The Modern Pentathlon European Championships could not have been such a success without the support of 180-strong army of volunteers. Kieran Buggs was one of those, travelling from Kent to play his part in a memorable week at the University of Bath. He spoke to other volunteers, plus spectators and athletes, about why they had got involved and what they had taken from the experience... Following the success of the Games Makers at the London...

24 August 2015

Kate French earns Olympic qualification place as “best” European Championships end in style

Kate French earned a Rio 2016 Olympic Games qualification place and there was team gold for Pentathlon GB as a world-class Modern Pentathlon European Championships concluded in fitting style at the University of Bath. Sports Performance graduate French went into the combined event 15th overall but produced a fantastic performance, missing just one shot, to secure the top-eight finish she needed. “I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet but I am so pleased,” she...

23 August 2015

Bath student Joe Choong sets Rio 2016 qualification standard at European Championships

University of Bath student Joe Choong produced the performance of his career in front of a sell-out home crowd at the Modern Pentathlon European Championships to secure a coveted Rio 2016 Olympic Games qualification place. The Mathematics student, supported by an Ivor Powell Scholarship, was roared down the home straight at a packed Sports Training Village to finish seventh in the men’s final on Saturday. That secured one of the eight Olympic qualification places up...

22 August 2015

Plenty for home fans to cheer as Pentathlon GB women reach European Championships final

Fellow athletes, family, friends and University of Bath staff turned out in force to cheer a full complement of Pentathlon GB athletes into the women’s final of the Modern Pentathlon European Championships. Graduates Samantha Murray, Kate French and Freyja Prentice all successfully came through their qualifying rounds on Friday, as did newly-crowned World Junior Champion Francesca Summers. They were roared on all the way by another good crowd at the Sports Training Village and can...

21 August 2015

Coach impressed as University students book European Championships final place

University of Bath students Tom Toolis and Joe Choong will have a shot at Rio 2016 qualification on Saturday after booking their places in the men’s final at the Modern Pentathlon European Championships. They joined fellow Pentathlon GB athlete Jamie Cooke, pictured, in progressing through Thursday’s qualification round and giving the home fans at the Sports Training Village plenty to cheer. Toolis, a Sport & Exercise Science student, performed consistently well and finished sixth overall...

20 August 2015

European pentathletes wowed by University and crowds as home teams finish fourth

Germany and Ukraine struck team relay gold at the Modern Pentathlon European Championships on Wednesday – and the University of Bath was also placed on top of the podium. Athletes from across the continent have been full of praise for both the facilities at the £30million Sports Training Village and the spectators who have turned out in all weathers to provide vocal support. After glorious sunshine for Tuesday’s mixed team relay, won by Italy, the...

19 August 2015

Italy provide golden start to European Championships at University of Bath

There was a good turnout of spectators at the University of Bath on Tuesday to see Italy win the first gold medal of the 2015 Modern Pentathlon European Championships. Eighteen athletes from nine countries took part in the opening event, the mixed team relay, and received vocal backing throughout the five disciplines of swimming, fencing, riding, running and shooting – all of which took place at the Sports Training Village. There was a loud cheer...

18 August 2015