Schools and Colleges update Header Summer 2012 ‘ Sport plays a pivotal role in the life of the campus at Birmingham. It is a key part of the student experience and area of world-class research strength. 2012 is a special year for sport at Birmingham as our campus plays host to the Jamaican Track and Field Team and our students, alumni and researchers make major contributions to the success of the London Olympics.’ Professor David Eastwood, Vice Chancellor and Principal Our Olympic hopefuls Usain Bolt As the UK’s biggest sporting event is starting 3000m Steeplechase and was crowned Welcome to Jamaica to rise over the horizon, it is not just the the UK National Champion for the third Jamaican team getting ready to compete: consecutive year in July 2011. The 27-year Here at Birmingham we are used to seeing many of the University’s alumni and current old is currently on a 12-month sabbatical from athletes on campus, particularly on Wednesday students are in the midst of their preparations his role as University of Birmingham Sport afternoons, but the imminent arrival of the in a bid to make their mark at the London Scholarship Manager to focus on his bid Jamaican Track and Field Team is creating a real 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. to make the GB team for London 2012. sense of excitement. The Jamaican team will be based at the University of Birmingham for their Archery Louise Hazel (BA French Studies, 2008) – pre-Olympic training camp. They will be staying Naomi Folkard (BA Music, 2005) – Naomi Louise specialises in the heptathlon, which at the University in the lead-up to London 2012 made her Olympic debut at Athens in 2004 involves competing in seven events (100m and making use of the outstanding facilities as the youngest member of the GB Archery hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, available, including the track and gym. squad. She has since collected an array of javelin and 800m) over a two-day period and medals, including silver at the 2010 World won gold at 2010 Commonwealth Games. The team is expected to include five-time World Field Archery Championships. and three-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt, Dean Miller (BA Sport, Physical Education as well as current 100 metre World Champion Athletics and Coaching Sciences, 2011) – In 2011 Yohan Blake and women’s World 200 metre Hannah England (BSc Biochemistry, 2009) Dean not only completed his final year of study, gold medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown. – Middle distance runner Hannah made but competed in the IWAS World Junior headlines across the world following an Championships (800m bronze, 1500m gold), incredible 1500m run to earn herself silver Paralympic World Cup (800m 6th) and German 2011 at the World Cup in Munich and at the 2011 IAAF World Championships National Paralympic Championships (800m silver). the World Championships in Slovenia. in Daegu, Korea. Hockey Triathlon Luke Gunn (BSc Sports and Materials Susie Gilbert (BA Geography, 2012) – Non Stanford (BSc Sport and Exercise Science, 2006) – Luke specialises in the 22-year old Susie is a regular fixture on the Sciences, 2010) – Non began competing women’s GB and England Hockey squads. in Triathlon in 2008: by 2009 she was a top In 2010 she won three bronze medals with triathlete and won her first bronze medal England Hockey for the Champions Trophy, at the 2010 Premium European Cup. World Cup and Commonwealth Games. Cycling Simon Mantell (BCom Commerce, 2007) Lora Turnham (BSc Physiotherapy, 2011) – Simon has had a successful career with – Along with her sighted pilot Bex GB and England Hockey collecting 116 Rimmington, Lora has taken the Para-Cycling international caps since his debut in world by storm. In 2011 she won silver November 2005. in both the Para-Cycling World Cup and Para-Cycling Track Championships. Rowing Pamela Relph (BSc Physics, 2011) – Pam was www.birmingham.ac.uk/olympics part of the team that took two gold medals in Hannah England Michael’s Story ‘My name is Michael Salter and on joining Unfortunately at the end of that year, Social Policy is a highly contemporary the Social Policy programme at the University I struggled with both illness and injury, but and stimulating subject, and I have of Birmingham I was ranked as 33rd Junior University facilities such as the pool, gym thoroughly enjoyed my time on the 800m athlete in the UK. However, supported and physiotherapy services proved invaluable, programme. I would thoroughly recommend by the range of fantastic sporting facilities enabling me to recuperate and to continue UoB, as it provides an excellent all-round at UoB – such as the Munrow Sports Centre, competing at a high level. environment for athletes and sports persons all-weather running tracks, professional Balancing recovery, study, training and competing who see themselves as developing national coaches, plus the spur of being able to was demanding but the University has been talents. My future plans are to continue compete alongside other people of a similar incredibly supportive. My coaches and academic training, ideally here in Birmingham – with standard – over the course of a year tutor deserve particular mention: indeed, I cannot the Olympics on the horizon and excellent I improved my ranking to 4th in the 800m thank my Social Policy Tutor Robert Page enough local facilities, it is both an exciting place and subsequently finished 2nd in the UK for helping me to balance my academic and and time to be a national athlete.’ Under 23 Championships the following year. sporting activities over the past three years. www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/social-policy Elite sporting facilities for all It is not just elite athletes who deserve excellent The plans for the sports centre include facilities but everyone at the University of a (50m) swimming pool which will be the Birmingham. As part of a five year, £175million only one in Birmingham as well as sports halls, Open Days 2012 investment in campus facilities, a new sports squash courts, a climbing wall and plenty centre will be built at the Edgbaston campus of recreational space for everyone interested To see all of our facilities and talk to designed to meet the needs of students and in sports whether it is to have fun and keep students and academic staff, why not staff as well as the many regional amateur sports fit or training for international competitions. come along to our Open Day on Saturday clubs that currently use the University’s facilities. 8 September. To book a place, please visit our website and use the online booking form at www.opendays.bham.ac.uk Printed on a recycled grade paper containing 100% post-consumer waste. 2 1 THE Student Experience Survey Sport is an important part of the student at Birmingham and are therefore pleased to see experience for some students while for others a continued rise in our rankings in the this year’s it might be learning facilities, quality of staff, Times Higher Student Experience Survey. Over opportunities for internships, clubs and 14,000 students rated their institution’s societies, accommodation, culture or performance in 21 categories that matter most volunteering which make all the difference to to them. In 2012 the University was ranked as University of Birmingham 20 their time at University. We want to ensure that 13th in the UK, which places it 7th in the Russell all our students have an outstanding experience Group and top in the West Midlands. 7015 ©.