University swimmers hit gold at BUCS Short Course

University of Stirling swimmers have won 12 gold medals and taken the women’s team title at the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Short Course Championships.

The contingent from Stirling – Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence – also secured a further 13 silver and eight bronze medals for their efforts at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield.

Angharad Evans won three individual gold medals – for the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke – while Lucy Grieve finished top of the podium for the 50m and 100m Butterfly. Thomas Leggett won the 50m Freestyle, Evie Davis the 100m Freestyle, and David Annis the 100m Backstroke. In the Para events, Sam Downie won gold in the 100m Backstroke.

Stirling teams also topped the podium in the Mixed Medley Relay (Annis, Evans, Grieve, Leggett); Women’s Medley Relay (Evans, Grieve, David and Katie Shanahan); and in the Men’s Medley Relay (Annis, Leggett, George Smith and Evan Jones).

Thanks to the athletes’ brilliant performances in the pool, Stirling won the women’s title, with the men’s team finishing second. The Stirling team – led at the event by High-Performance Coaches Bradley Hay and Josh Williamson – finished second overall, just behind Loughborough.

David Bond, Director of Performance Sport at the University of Stirling, said: “Congratulations to our swimmers on a phenomenal meet in Sheffield – winning the women’s title and coming away with 12 gold medals.

“It’s a brilliant achievement for the athletes and coaches, and underlines the world-class coaching and support available through the high-performance swim programme at the University of Stirling.”

Scholarships

At Stirling, athletes have access to world-class facilities, including a 50-metre pool, unrivalled outdoor space, and state-of-the-art strength and conditioning suites. In addition to its coaching and facilities, Stirling’s International Sports Scholarship Programme – one of the largest high-performance programmes in the UK – offers athletes funding support, academic flexibility, equipment and kit. It has supported hundreds of athletes since its inception in 1981 – with many competing on the world stage, including at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

Core sports include swimming, triathlon, football, golf, tennis, rugby and curling, while individual scholarships cover all Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports.

Read more about high-performance sport at the University of Stirling.