Tokyo 2020: How University of Bath swim coach’s flexible approach helped set Anna Hopkin on ‘incredible’ journey to Olympic debut

When Anna Hopkin moved to the University of Bath in 2014, she joined the student swimming club with the goal of racing at student competitions and having a fun group to socialise with. Fast forward seven years and Hopkin is not only looking forward to making her Olympic Games debut at Tokyo 2020 but also eyeing a place on the podium with Team GB. The explosive freestyle sprinter was a talented junior swimmer while growing...

22 July 2021

Tokyo 2020: Team Bath judoka Megan Fletcher aiming to ‘go out with a bang’ as Olympic debut provides dream conclusion to career

Tokyo 2020 marks the end of an era for Team Bath judoka Megan Fletcher but she says she cannot think of a better climax to a brilliant career than making her long-awaited Olympic debut at the home of judo. After narrowly missing out on qualification for London 2012 and Rio 2016, Fletcher’s years of dedication to her sport – the past 13 of them with the high-performance squad at Team Bath – will be justly...

22 July 2021

World medallists Sophie Kamlish and Polly Maton named in ParalympicsGB athletics squad for Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

Track and field athletes Sophie Kamlish and Polly Maton have today become the latest University of Bath-based sportspeople to be selected for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Former World Champion Kamlish, coached by Rob Ellchuk, is no stranger to the Paralympics having competed at both London 2012 and Rio 2016. She set a T44 100m world record at the latter Games but narrowly missed out on a medal in the final. She will contest the...

21 July 2021

Tokyo 2020: Team Bath judoka Prisca Awiti-Alcaraz proudly flying the flag for Mexico in her sport’s spiritual home on Olympics debut

Judoka Prisca Awiti-Alcaraz is proud to be flying the flag for Mexico at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – and for her Team Bath home. The University of Bath graduate will be the sole representative of her mother’s home country when the judo competition takes place in Tokyo’s legendary Nippon Budokan, the spiritual home of the sport. She will also be cheered on by the Team Bath family she has been part of for the...

20 July 2021

Intrepid duo taking on Olympic-sized Spennylymypics fundraising challenge to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease Association

Taking on one Olympic sport is challenging enough but a couple who have been training in Bath are about to try all 80 events during Tokyo 2020 to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA). Stuart Bates and Charlotte Nichols begin their Spennylympics challenge on Friday (23rd July) and over the next 16 days will be doing all the disciplines across the full range of Olympic sports from archery to wrestling. That includes...

19 July 2021

Liam Broady all set for Olympic debut as he joins former Team Bath Tennis ace Marcus Daniell on Tokyo 2020 stage

Liam Broady will make his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 next week after being added to the Team GB tennis squad. Broady, who is coached by Team Bath Tennis coach David Sammel, was offered a place in the men's singles draw by the International Tennis Federation due to his world ranking. Team GB Tennis Team Leader Iain Bates said: “This is brilliant news for Liam and I am delighted he is able to take up...

18 July 2021

Tokyo 2020: How switch from swimming to rowing helped University of Bath graduate Sara Parfett fulfil her Olympic dream

Sara Parfett arrived at the University of Bath a decade ago with an Olympic dream and is finally set to fulfil it in Tokyo this summer – but not in the sport she envisaged. Parfett was a talented junior swimmer and joined Mark Skimming’s student squad when she began a Biology degree in 2010. However, she also tried her hand at rowing and proved to be a natural, so much so that she successfully trialled...

17 July 2021

Tokyo 2020: Sporting scholar Tom Dean grateful for University of Bath support in and out of pool ahead of Olympic swimming debut

Team GB swimming medal hopeful Tom Dean has praised the University of Bath for helping him pursue his sporting dream as he prepares to make his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020. Dean first came to the University in 2018 to combine training full-time with the world-renowned British Swimming National Centre Bath, based on campus in the £35million Team Bath Sports Training Village, with studying Mechanical Engineering. He deferred his second year to concentrate fully on...

16 July 2021

Tokyo 2020: Housemates Kieran Bird, Jacob Peters and Brodie Williams hail training environment ahead of Olympic swimming debuts

They live together, socialise together and train together in Bath – now rising Team GB swimming stars Kieran Bird, Jacob Peters and Brodie Williams are set to make their Olympic debuts together at Tokyo 2020. All three are part of an exciting crop of talented swimmers coached by Jol Finck at the British Swimming National Centre based at the University of Bath, with training partners Calum Jarvis and Matt Richards also competing at the Aquatics...

15 July 2021

Siblings Ben and Megan Fletcher join fellow Team Bath judoka Prisca Awiti-Alcaraz and graduate Gemma Howell on plane to Tokyo Olympics

Ben Fletcher is heading to his second Olympic Games and there are debuts for Megan Fletcher and Prisca Awiti-Alcaraz as Team Bath judoka celebrate their official selections for Tokyo 2020. University of Bath graduate Gemma Howell will also be competing in Japan’s legendary Nippon Budokan, judo’s spiritual home, after overcoming several injuries to represent Team GB at this summer’s Games. The Fletcher siblings - whose selection has been officially confirmed today - will be competing...

14 July 2021