As the Olympics in Paris conclude, the University marks its contribution to the world’s largest sporting event and looks ahead to the Paralympics which get underway on August 28.
Key highlights include:
- Alumni Ros Canter who won gold in the equestrian team jumping
- Recent Master's graduate Lewis Richardson who took home bronze in the men's 71kg boxing
- Max Litchfield finished fourth in the men's 400m individual medley in swimming, achieving a British record and personal best
- His brother Joe Litchfield competed in both the men's 4x100m medley relay and the mixed 4x100m
- Current student Jade O'Dowda came 10th for Team GB in the women's heptathlon
- Fellow heptathlete and Hallam graduate, Kate O'Connor, finished in 14th place for Ireland
- Three Hallam graduates, Phil Roper, Gareth Furlong, David Goodfield, competed in the men's GB hockey team, reaching the quarter final
Staff from the School of Sport and Physical Activity, along with performance staff from Sport Hallam, have also been heavily involved with elite athletes’ coaching and training. Yasmin Harper, who won a bronze medal alongside Scarlett Mew Jenson in the synchronized springboard diving, is trained by Sheffield Hallam strength and conditioning coaches.
Behind the scenes, academic staff from the School of Sport and Physical Activity were involved in the delivery of the Games including in the media and press operations team and the athletes’ village.
Research staff from Sheffield Hallam also have a long history of working with National Governing Bodies (NGBs) for the Games. Sports engineers have worked in collaboration with both NGBs and the UK Sports Institute for nearly 20 years, developing performance and wellbeing monitoring tools for athletes. This collaboration provides research projects and real-world placements for Sheffield Hallam students.
A number of Sheffield Hallam graduates also worked in supporting capacities at the Games as part of the UKSI (UK Sports Institute), as practitioners and professionals who have helped to develop, train, coach and manage the athletes. Their roles included head strength and conditioning coaches and nutrition leads for athletes in fields including swimming, boxing and triathlon.
Looking ahead to the Paralympics, which get underway on August 28, Sheffield Hallam also has several athletes representing Team GB and international squads.
For Team GB there are five alumni competing - Aaron McKibbin (Sport and Exercise Science) in table tennis, Zac Shaw (Sport Development with Coaching) in athletics 100m T12, Peter Cusack (Sport and Exercise Technology) in men’s wheelchair basketball and Sophie Carrigill (Sport and Exercise Psychology) and Lucy Robinson (Primary Education) in women’s wheelchair basketball.
Internationally, PhD student Taka Suzuki is competing in swimming for Japan.
Dr Ruth Crabtree, Head of the School of Sport and Physical Activity, said: "The Olympics and Paralympics demonstrate the vast experience, expertise and opportunities that are offered in sport and physical activity at Hallam. We have a rich history of offering programmes in sport and opportunities for students to get involved in all aspects of the sport industry. We also provide fantastic support to our elite students who balance their academic and professional careers in sport.”
Kate Cox, Head of Sport and Physical Activity at Sport Hallam, added: "This collaborative effort across teaching, research and sport services showcases the diverse range of knowledge, experience, expertise and provision we have on offer and serves to reinforce our upstanding reputation for sport in the UK and globally."
Sheffield Hallam University continues to solidify its position as a leading institution in sports education, research, and performance, contributing significantly to the success of international athletes on the world stage.
