In athletics, five current students and a recent graduate have booked their place to the games. Jess Judd, who won bronze in these championships in 2017, will take to the 5000m stage, Miguel Perera will challenge for the 110m hurdles, Adam Thomas in the 100m sprint, Will Grimsey in the high jump and Sam Khogali in the long jump. Alumni Taylor Campbell will also feature in the hammer throw.
Nick Dakin, Director of Coaching for Loughborough Students’ Athletics, said:
“Loughborough’s ability to provide such a strong representation in the World University Games, despite the obvious clash with the European u23 championships, is a testament to the setup we have here. By being able to offer students a longer-term developmental environment in which to progress and improve within their sport is paramount to their success.”
Loughborough will also have a large presence in the pool, with five competitors making the trip to southern Italy. European gold medallist Charlotte Atkinson, British 200m breaststroke record holder Jocelyn Ulyett, 50m breaststroke Commonwealth gold medallist Sarah Vasey and 2015 European 400m individual medley gold medallist Abbie Wood, all going for glory.
Emily Barclay will also be making her senior international debut, with the games providing a fantastic opportunity for her to compete on the global stage.
Fencer Zach Hamilton will don the GB vest as one ten named in the squad. Zach will compete in the men’s individual sabre and will be buoyed by his successful individual BUCS campaign, where he finished second in his field.
The annual competition will be held between 3-14 July and is widely recognised as the second largest multi-sport Games in the world after the Olympics, with over 10,000 participants from over 150 countries.