East London is already seeing the impact of 2012. With the whole region gripped by Olympic fever, a new generation of talented athletes is emerging - and many of the rising stars can be found here at UEL.
You can meet some of our most promising athletes here:
Gemma Gibbons
- Talent: Judo
- Studying: Exercise Science and Health
Gemma competes in the 70kg category and has represented GB at Senior World and European Championships. She has won BUCS titles as well as bronze medals at the World University Games and the European U23 Championships. She will be aiming to maintain her GB number 1 status in 2012 and gain selection for her first Olympic Games. Gemma completed her undergraduate in Coaching Science at UEL in 2011 and is currently studying for an MSc in Exercise Science and Health.
Asghar Nasimi
- Talent: Sitting Volleyball
- Studying: Combined Honours
Asghar is a member of the GB Senior Sitting Volleyball team, and has represented the country at European and World Cup events. He recently returned from the WVOD Intercontinental Cup in Egypt, and hopes to be one of the 11 who make the cut from the current 13 man squad when the Paralympic team is announced later this summer.
Zara Hohn
- Talent: Sprint Hurdles
- Studying: Law
Sprint Hurdler, Zara, recently made the move from Sheffield to London, to base herself at the Lee Valley High Performance Centre. As well as representing Great Britain at major junior and senior championships, Zara won BUCS gold medals in 2008, 2009, and 2010. She will be hoping to add to her impressive tally during her time studying Law at UEL, as well as working towards the Olympic qualifying time.
Tom Wilkinson
- Talent: Rowing
- Studying: Photography
Rower Tom has represented GB at three senior world championships, six world cups, three under 23 World Championships and one Junior World Championships. He has also been a winner four times at the Henley Royal Regatta and five times a national Champion. Tom is studying photography at undergraduate level.
John Collins
- Talent: Rowing
- Studying: International Politics
John has represented GB at World Under 23 Championships and won gold in the double sculls while representing UEL at the 2011 European University Rowing Championships. John is a member of the prestigious Leander Rowing Club and is studying International Politics at UEL.
Alan Sinclair
- Talent: Rowing
- Studying: Developmental Psychology
Alan won gold in the double sculls while representing UEL at the 2011 European University Rowing Championships and won four medals when representing Scotland at the 2010 Commonwealth Rowing Championships. Alan is studying Developmental Psychology.
Rhiannon Jones
- Talent: Rowing
- Studying: Project Management
Rhiannon has represented Great Britain at World Rowing Championships and World Cup events as cox for the lightweight adaptive coxed 4. In 2010, Rhiannon won World Championship gold with the British crew in a world’s best time. Rhiannon is studying towards an MSc in Project Management.
Kleovoulos Loucaides
- Talent: Judo
- Studying: Surveying and Mapping
Cypriot Kleovoulos has represented his country at Junior World Championships and is the 2010 and 2011 Junior National Pancyprian Champion. Kleovoulos is study Surveying and Mapping.
Dave Bell
- Talent: Rowing
- Studying: Investment and Risk Management
Dave has represented GB at European U23 Championships and World University Championships. His impressive CV includes EUSA, European U23 and BUCS titles. Dave has won titles in everything from the single scull to the eight. Dave is studying Investment and Rick Management within the Royal Docks Business School.
Merle Schafer
- Talent: Rowing
- Studying: ERASMUS placement at Royal Docks Business School
Rower Merle hails from Cologne in Germany and is completing an ERASMUS placement within the Royal Docks Business School. Merle has competed at Senior World Cup events, and in 2010 was a member of the silver medal winning lightweight women’s quad at the European U23 Championships.
David Loveday
- Talent: Rowing
- Studying: Strength and Conditioning
David is a well decorated rower having won medals with England at the commonwealth Rowing Championships and the Home Internationals. David is working towards an MSc in Strength and Conditioning within the School of Health, Sport and Bioscience.
Rebecca Humphreys
- Talent: Rowing
- Studying: Medical Physiology
Rebecca is completing an undergraduate degree in Medical Physiology. She has represented GB at World U23 Championships, is a three times silver medallist at EUSA, has won seven BUCS Regatta medals and has three Henley Regatta wins to her name.
Lumar Sylvester
- Talent: Track
- Studying: Computer Networks
Lumar is a talented 200m runner, and at the end of the 2011 track season was ranked 10th U23 in GB. Lumar has two more years in the age category, and during that time he will be combining his Computer Networks undergraduate with working his way towards the top of the domestic rankings.
Adrianne Bet
- Talent: Volleyball
- Studying: Early Childhood Studies and Sports Coaching
Adrianne is a key member of the Polonia Ladies senior team. She won the 2010 and 2011 National Cup with the club as well as the 2011 National League. Adrianne is studying towards a joint honours degree in Early Childhood Studies and Sports Coaching.
Andre Fernandez
- Talent: Long Jump
- Studying: Sport and Exercise Science
Long Jumper Andre is a member of local athletics club Newham and Essex Beagles. Andre has been twice ranked among the top 8 long jumpers in GB, and in 2011 won a bronze medal for UEL at the BUCS Indoor championships. Andre is studying Sport and Exercise Science.
Douglas Bennett
- Talent: Basketball
- Studying: Sports Coaching
Douglas captained the Scotland U18 side for the 2010/2011 season. Dougie has just joined UEL’s sister basketball club NASSA, and is also a Level 2 Basketball Coach. He is studying towards the BSc in Sports Coaching at UEL.
Szandra Szogedi
- Talent: Judo
- Studying: Journalism
Szandra is a former European Youth Olympics and European Under 16 Judo Champion from the days when she represented Hungry. She now represents Ghana and has competed at African and World Championships. Szandra competes in the 57kg category and is studying journalism at UEL.
Dwain Bowman
- Talent: Volleyball
- Studying: Business Finance with Mathematics
Dwain has represented England at world Youth Games and plays for local team London Lynx, one of the top clubs in the country. Dwain is President and coach of the UEL Volleyball club, and is regularly seen promoting volleyball on our Dockland’s campus. Dwain is studying Business Finance with Mathematics.
John Preston
- Talent: Rowing
- Studying: Coaching
John has competed at two Senior World Cup events, three World U23 Championships, a Junior World Championships and a Youth Olympics. He has won 10 BUCS gold medals, as well as Henley Royal Regatta and Head of the River titles. John is studying Coaching at UEL.
Danielle McFarlane
- Talent: Netball
- Studying: Theatre Studies
Danielle has competed for England U17 and U19 teams at Netball Europe Championships. She competes for Academy and Mavericks teams. Danielle also enjoys acting, and is studying Theatre Studies.
Sophie Cox
- Talent: Judo
- Studying: Strength and Conditioning
Sophie competed for GB at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, before temporarily retiring from the sport. Back in training, Sophie is well on target for London 2012, and has won bronze at both the European Championships and the Amsterdam Grand Prix in 2011.
