University of Birmingham athletes deliver top BUCS performance

University of Birmingham athletes are savouring the sweet taste of success after their best-ever performance performance at a prestigious UK student athletics tournament.

From record-breaking swims to historic badminton medals, the University’s student athletes delivered exceptional performances at the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Nationals, in Sheffield, with podium finishes across multiple sports.

Alongside the BUCS Nationals, University of Birmingham‑supported athletes competed in the UK National Indoor Championships, held at the Utilita Arena Birmingham, where five were crowned national champions with many more achieving top‑eight positions.

Across five sports, the University’s athletes secured 26 BUCS scoring medals, demonstrating the depth, ambition and excellence that define Birmingham’s performance programmes with highlights including:

• An historic 4th‑place finish for the women’s swim team – their highest ever
• Exceptional success for first‑year swimmer Lewis Jones, winning three BUCS medals
• Athletics securing second place overall once again, despite many athletes also competing at the National Indoor Championships
• A superb haul of medals for karate, placing third overall

University of Birmingham Director of Sport Andy Alford said: “These results speak to the commitment of our student‑athletes, the expertise of our staff, and the world‑class environment that makes the University of Birmingham one of the UK’s leading universities for sport. Congratulations to every athlete, coach and support team member involved.”

Professor Deborah Longworth, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) at University of Birmingham, said: "Congratulations to our athletes on their success at these prestigious events. The University of Birmingham is known around the world for its sporting excellence - our cutting-edge research and outstanding facilities make the University a champion for sports-related courses and recreation – empowering students, athletes, and our community to redefine sporting excellence."

The University’s athletics team continued their dominance with second place, along with 11 individual medals.

The fencing and karate teams delivered outstanding performances with athletes returning to campus with eight medals, whilst the swimming team returned to campus with a great haul of six medals in the pool.

There was also a silver medal in badminton, as the team’s performance earned over 250 BUCS points in one weekend, helping the University to close the gap further on the Top Five in the BUCS table.

The University of Birmingham’s sport research spans increasing participation and enhancing performance, to improving health through exercise, and advancing rehabilitation - delivering real-world impact across all stages of life. Birmingham ranks eight in the world for sports-related subjects in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025.