Talented young athletes are among 2012 Freshers
An array of talented young athletes who compete across a range of sports are among the Freshers who have just arrived to study at the University of Bath.
The new arrivals include two athletes who have already competed on the world’s greatest sporting stage, at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Judo player Gemma Howell is studying for a degree in Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Bath and will combine that with training at Team Bath. At London 2012 she had the misfortune of drawing the reigning world and European champion in her opening round under-63kg class competition.
Rachel Smith is studying Sports Performance at the University. She captained the University of Bath-based GB rhythmic gymnastics group that made a piece of history by becoming the first rhythmic group to represent Britain at an Olympics. She will continue to combine training with her studies.
The pair are joined by a host of young athletes who are already starting to make their mark on the sporting world.
Sport and Social Sciences student Katie Tomsett is a young sailor who competes in the 470 class. She is a member of the Skandia Team GBR 470 Olympic Development squad and just missed out on the medals at last year’s Under-22 World Championships, finishing fourth. In 2012 she took bronze at the 2012 European Junior Championships and finished fifth at senior European Championships.
And rower Emma Cadoux-Hudson, who rowed in the GB eight that finished fourth at this year’s Coupe de la Jeunesse at Lake Banyoles in Spain, is starting a degree in Sport and Exercise Science at the University.
Bath Rugby Academy and England under-19 player Tom Vaughan-Edwards has just started studying for a degree in Biochemistry at the University. Also studying for the same degree is sprinter Kirsten McAslan, a member of Great Britain’s gold medal-winning 4x400m relay quartet at last year’s European Junior Championships in Tallinn, Estonia.
Another talented young judo player studying at Bath is Freya de Chastelain. The Sports Performance student won bronze in the under-48kg class at the 2010 European Junior Championships in Bulgaria.
And German hockey player Niklas Rieger is starting a degree in Economics and Politics at the University. The midfielder has played for Germany at under-21 level and scored for Team Bath Buccaneers on his England Hockey League Conference West debut.
The 2012 student intake at the University also includes weightlifter Sonny Webster who is studying Sports Performance, Anne Bochmann, a swimmer at the British Swimming Bath Intensive Training Centre, who is starting a Pharmacy degree, and Welsh international footballer Angharad James, who is beginning a Foundation Degree in Sport (Health and Fitness).
The talented young athletes aim to in the footsteps of a host of Bath graduates who have gone on to make their mark in the world of sport.
They include former England rugby captain Steve Borthwick (Economic & Politics 2003), skeleton Olympic Winter Games gold medallist Amy Williams (Sports Performance, 2007) and double Paralympic Games medallist Ben Rushgrove (Sports Performance, 2009).
You can find out more about Team Bath on our website teambath.com
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Picture caption (left to right) – Front: Niklas Rieger, Rachel Smith & Tom Vaughan-Edwards.
Rear: Katie Tomsett, Emma Cadoux-Hudson, Gemma Howell, Freya de Chastelain & Kirsten McAslan
For further information please contact the Team Bath press office at Matchtight Ltd on 01225 383518.
