Birmingham celebrates record-breaking Olympic and Paralympic stars
It’s not every day you meet an Olympian or Paralympian; let alone a room full of them as the University of Birmingham officially celebrated the record-breaking achievements of its Paris 2024 sporting stars.
Hosted in the Bramall Music Building on the university’s Edgbaston campus, students, staff and peers came together to hear first-hand from Birmingham’s medallists, coaches as well as alumni on what it was like to participate at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024.
It was a record-breaking summer for Birmingham bringing home all-time record 11 medals across both Games, with athletes past and present competing across 11 sport and para-sports.
A record 20 athletes competed at the Games with a further 11 alumni heavily involved in the Games across team management/coaching, media and specialist support staff.
With a drinks reception and a chance for selfies post-event, the University’s Vice-Chancellor Adam Tickell addressed the auditorium and opened proceedings congratulating all those involved before the evening got underway.
Hosted by 2012 Olympic silver medallist and alumna Hannah England, the #PathwayToParis Celebration Evening welcomed back to campus Paralympic GB Chef de mission and Sport Hall of Fame Inductee Penny Briscoe OBE, who capped off the evening chatting on stage with University of Birmingham Director of Sport Andy Allford.
Beforehand, the audience heard from alumni Imran Rahman, who represented Bangladesh in the Paris 2024 100m, current sports scholar Ollie Morgan who was a finalist in the 100m and 400m backstroke for Team GB, and 4x400m bronze medallist Hannah Kelly who is a current staff member at the University.
Attention turned to the successes of our Para-sport athletes and coaches as Women’s 100m T63 bronze medallist Didi Okoh, Team GB Athletics Endurance Coach and former Paralympian Dean Miller, and 2023 Commonwealth Youth gold medallist Maddie Down reflected on their experiences in Paris.
There was more Paralympic success stories with alumni para-rowers Annie Caddick and Josh O’Brien, who returned from Paris with a silver in the PR3 mixed double sculls and gold PR3 mixed coxed four respectively.
With the Paris 2024 cycle officially at an end, attention begins to turn to the prospect of Los Angeles’s 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games where University of Birmingham Sport will be hoping to go on to yet another record breaking Games.
Keep an eye out over the next month as we share stories from the night from our sporting guests in attendance.
Photo credits: UoB Sport
It was incredible to celebrate together with our sporting stars tonight here at the University. A truly record-breaking year, for Birmingham sport and its representatives and we are very proud of everyone involved. 11 medals, 11 sports, over 30 past and present involved in both Games; these are outstanding achievements and only showcase why Birmingham is one of the countries top sporting universities.
