One of the largest annual multi-sport events in the UK is returning to the city of Sheffield to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Whilst the sports of judo, karate, tenpin bowling and trampolining have wowed spectators over the years, this weekend’s competition will focus on swimming, athletics, climbing and badminton.
These four sports have been the hugely popular amongst competitors since their inclusion in Nationals, with swimming receiving over 2,000 entries every year. Athletics numbers have also remained impressive across the decade, with the BUCS athletics attracting over 5,000 competitors each year across five different events, with the biggest one being indoor athletics at BUCS Nationals.
Across the four sports, last year’s Nationals saw the number of female entries edge closer to the number of male entries than ever before, showcasing the continuous diversity progress that Nationals delivers.
Another tribute to the inclusivity incorporated in the competition is the increase in para-athletes. Though swimming and athletics have always involved para-athletes, last year was the first time para-athletes showcased their talents on the badminton court. In athletics, we offer ambulant, seated and wheelchair opportunities across track, field and throwing disciplines. Due to the wide range of opportunities available for all abilities, BUCS has a successful track record in helping athletes transition from junior to senior thanks to our collaboration with British Athletics.
Nationals have acted as a stepping stone for athletes looking to take the next step forward in their professional sporting careers, with a large number going onto to grace the international stage. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, BUCS athletes secured 88 medals across the two Games. Meanwhile, at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, our athletes achieved a total of 132 medals.
BUCS, Olympic and Commonwealth champion Duncan Scott recently became Scotland’s most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete at Birmingham 2022. He will be guest swimming at Ponds Forge as part of our 10 year anniversary event along with fellow Olympian Lucy Hope and Paralympians Jessica Jane Applegate and Ellie Challis.
Stephen Clegg, who once competed in Nationals, is a British Paralympic swimmer who went on to win one silver and two bronze medals in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games; the Games saw Clegg break the British record in the men’s S12 100m freestyle with a time of 53.43.
Former BUCS Sportswoman of the Year Anna Hopkin MBE has also seen huge success in swimming. After winning the inaugural mixed 4x100m medley relay title and breaking a world record at Tokyo 2020; she currently has five European gold medals under her belt. Speaking about BUCS Nationals, Anna described her motivations for competing, “BUCS allowed me to progress year on year, to the point where I took it more seriously and decided swimming would be my career.”
Jona Efoloko, former BUCS athletics competitor, reflected on his time on his university’s relay team, telling us “It was a great experience being part of the relay team, everyone was very supportive and we all had fun whilst coming away with a gold.” Since his BUCS days, Jona has been part of the GB relay team that won European and Commonwealth gold.
Commenting on the success of the event over the past decade, Head of Events, Alice Robinson said: “Nationals is a standout event in the BUCS domestic event calendar. For the past 10 years, this event has brought together student athletes, university staff and dedicated sporting volunteers and officials, to put on this national showcase of sport.
We must thank the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam, Sheffield City Council and Sheffield City Trust for their continued support of the event over the past 10 years.”
This year, Nationals will run between 24-26 February and will see a ground-breaking 3,191 competitors taking part across the four sports involved. Long Course Swimming, Indoor Athletics and Climbing finals will be livestreamed on our brand-new streaming platform, BUCS TV. Sign up for free at www.bucs.tv to get in on the action from this year’s 10th anniversary special of Nationals.
