The University of Birmingham was well represented at this summer’s Paris Olympics and Paralympics, with 20 competitors taking part. And behind the scenes, many alumni made the whole thing happen, providing their expertise as coaches, officials, administrators, working in the media or volunteering at the Games. Old Joe talked to two graduates who proudly flew the flag for Birmingham. Banner pic: Zac Williams/SWpix.com
Truly elite surroundings
Physiologist Ollie Armstrong (BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences, 2010) says it is no surprise there is a large community of physiology and physiotherapy practitioners from Birmingham working in elite sport.
Ollie spent 10 years at the University, first as a student and then as a member of staff working with our elite student athletes, before joining Cycling Canada as Lead Physiologist in 2022.
Upon moving across the Atlantic, he discovered that the High Performance Director for Athletics Canada, Simon Nathan (BSc Physics, 1988) is also a graduate of the University. Ollie says: ‘The sporting community at Birmingham goes well beyond the University and the city walls. It’s a hot-bed for students pursuing a career in sport; my degree was incredible and I still use a lot of what I learned every day.
To be involved in the Olympics was pretty surreal. It was a dream of mine since I was a kid and to follow it through all the way with a degree, a Masters and then 12 years working in professional sport – to get to a moment to support athletes all the way through to a Games was pretty special.
‘And for elite student athletes, the scholarship system at Birmingham is unique. While you can go to other universities and receive a lump sum of money, what Birmingham offers allows them to become the best version of themselves on the track or on the pitch thanks to round the clock access to practitioners from across all disciplines, with an integrated approach that works with the national governing bodies of many sports to put the athlete’s interests first.
‘People stay in Birmingham, or stay connected to the team here, for many years down the line, even if they move to different countries. That is unrivalled.’
Our medal winners
Congratulations to eight alumni who returned from Paris with Olympic and Paralympic medals!
Gold medal
Megan Richter (MRes Cardiovascular Sciences, 2023) - PTS4 Para Triathlon
Laura Sugar (PGDip Professional Education, 2014) - KL3 canoeing
Josh O’Brien (BSc Economics, 2023) - PR3 mixed coxed four rowing
Silver medal
Anna Henderson (BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences, 2022) - cycling time trial
Annie Caddick (BSc Biological Sciences, 2020) PR3 mixed double sculls rowing
Bronze medal
Georgia Bell (BA Geography, 2015) - 1500m
Didi Okoh (LLB Law with Criminology, 2024) - T63 100m
Lora Fachie (BSc Nursing and Physiotherapy, 2010) - individual pursuit, road time trial and road race
Read more about our medal winners at the UB Sport blog.
Fulfilling a teenage dream
Umpiring the Women’s Hockey competition at the Paris Olympics was a unique challenge for Hannah Harrison (BSc Economics, 2006), and she was able to return to Birmingham for help in her preparations.
Umpires have to be everywhere at once, while making split second decisions. For the first time, all officials were given a fitness programme to follow by the FIH (International Hockey Federation) in the run-up to the Games, and Hannah received additional assistance from the University’s Head of Performance Luke Gunn at a special preparatory camp.
Hannah explained: ‘Luke helped me with my gait and to improve my running technique. It helped me to be more efficient and to put less stress on my body.’
The Olympics required officials from nations across the world to be prepared to umpire matches with only one or two days to recover, and Hannah and her colleagues would only learn what games they would take charge of the night before. She was not allowed to umpire any matches featuring Great Britain – with the women’s squad featuring five Birmingham alumnae.
As she put it: ‘Our tournament was effectively a two-week endurance event, and we would quite possibly have taken part in more games than many of the players. It was a lot of mental and physical preparation and recovery, but of course I wouldn’t have changed that for the world. Whilst in Paris I was also awarded my Golden Whistle for my 100th international.
‘Umpiring at the Olympics had been my dream since I started officiating as a teenager. It was super-exciting and to have represented my country and take part in the opening and closing ceremony was an amazing honour.’