Brilliant bronze in team epee provides fitting medal-winning climax to week to remember for wheelchair fencers in Paris

Wheelchair fencers Dimitri Coutya, Piers Gilliver and Oliver Lam-Watson are returning from Paris to their Bath training base with 10 Paralympic medals between them following a week to remember in the Grand Palais. The trio concluded the Games by winning bronze in the men’s team epee competition on Saturday, beating Poland 45-28 in the medal decider to back up the silver medal they had won in Thursday’s team foil event. That meant Coutya, Gilliver and...

07 September 2024

Double delight for Dimitri Coutya as brilliant British wheelchair fencers win epee gold and silver in Grand Palais

Dimitri Coutya reigned supreme once again in the Grand Palais tonight as the British wheelchair fencer claimed his second Paralympic gold of the week. Coutya backed up Wednesday’s foil success by beating Thailand’s Visit Kingmanaw 15-10 in the Category B epee final. Team-mate Piers Gilliver also reached his third successive Category A epee final but, having won gold in Tokyo, had to settle for silver on this occasion after a 15-12 defeat to China’s Gang...

06 September 2024

Wheelchair fencers Oliver Lam-Watson, Piers Gilliver and Dimitri Coutya team up to win foil silver for second successive Games in Paris

The medal rush continued for Britain’s wheelchair fencers in the Grand Palais on Thursday as Dimitri Coutya, Piers Gilliver and Oliver Lam-Watson won men’s team foil silver. It was a repeat of the trio’s achievement in Tokyo, with China – featuring three individual foil medallists – once again proving just too strong in the final The Bath-based Brits put up a fantastic fight, though, and led 20-15 after the first four rounds. China turned things...

05 September 2024

Foil flourish ensures wheelchair fencer Dimitri Coutya completes his title collection after glorious golden day in Paris

Dimitri Coutya secured the only wheelchair fencing title missing from his stellar CV as he magnificently won Category B foil Paralympic gold in Paris on Wednesday. The multiple World and European Champion, who won one silver and three bronze medals in Tokyo three years ago, was determined to end his wait for the biggest prize of all and produced three outstanding performances to fulfil his ambition. Bath-based Coutya, as top seed, was given a bye...

04 September 2024

New challenge for sporting scholars as former Team Bath Netball quartet secure Super League contracts for 2025 season relaunch

University of Bath sporting scholars Jayda Pechova and Sophie Kelly will continue their Netball Super League journeys with Nottingham Forest and London Pulse respectively, it has been confirmed today. Alumna Tash Pavelin will join fellow Vitality Roses defender Pechova at the newly-launched Forest franchise for the 2025 campaign, while Bethan Dyke has rejoined her hometown club Cardiff Dragons. All four were key members of the Team Bath Netball squad for the 2024 Super League season,...

04 September 2024

Sabre silver takes Piers Gilliver’s career medal tally to five at start of busy week of wheelchair fencing in Grand Palais

Wheelchair fencer Piers Gilliver won the fifth medal of his glittering Paralympics career to date when he secured Category A sabre silver in the stunning surroundings of the Grand Palais on Tuesday. It was a first Paralympic medal with the weapon for Gilliver - whose previous medals in Rio and Tokyo had come in the epee individual, and epee and foil team events - and was the perfect start to his campaign for four podium...

04 September 2024

Third Make a Move! is biggest yet as young people under care of Bristol Children’s Hospital enjoy day of sporting fun at Team Bath

The third annual Make a Move! event proved to be the biggest and best yet as more than 100 young people under the care of Bristol Children’s Hospital enjoyed a host of accessible sports and fun activities. The Team Bath Sports Training Village was once again buzzing as youngsters and their families had a go at archery, athletics, badminton, ball sports, boxing, judo, kin-ball, mini golf, rowing, table tennis, tennis, volleyball and much more. Team...

03 September 2024

Silver lining for para-badminton player Dan Bethell after dramatic final while para-triathlete Michael Taylor places sixth in Paris

Bath para-badminton star Dan Bethell won the second silver medal of his Paralympic Games career as he was narrowly edged out in a dramatic men’s SL3 singles final. An absorbing encounter saw Bethell recover from losing the opening game, then rally from 19-16 down in the decisive third game before saving a match point to serve for the gold medal at 21-20. However, opponent Kumar Nitesh of India managed to take the next three points...

02 September 2024

Magnificent seven ready to write their own chapters in this summer’s Paris sporting success story

Paralympians who train at the University of Bath are heading to Paris determined to write their own chapters in this summer’s sporting success story. Seven athletes from four sports – Dan Bethell (para-badminton), Suzanna Hext (para-swimming), Michael Taylor (para-triathlon), and Gemma Collis, Dimitri Coutya, Piers Gilliver and Oliver Lam-Watson (wheelchair fencing) – have been selected to represent Britain when the Games take place from Wednesday 28th August to Sunday 8th September. Defending Category A epee...

19 August 2024

Sporting scholars on the podium in Paris as Bath-associated athletes write their names into the history books

University of Bath-associated athletes finished with two gold medals, three silver, one bronze and a host of historic achievements from the Olympic Games after two weeks of outstanding competition in Paris. Four of the medals were won by current or former Bath sporting scholars, with (pictured top, from left) swimmer Tom Dean, artistic swimmer Kate Shortman, judoka Prisca Awiti-Alcaraz and rower Becky Wilde all having been supported by the University as they pursued their dual...

14 August 2024