UEL Olympic great Adam Gemili retires

After more than a decade of competing at the highest level, University of East London alumnus Adam Gemili has announced his retirement from competitive athletics.

Adam, who balanced his rise to sprinting stardom with his studies at UEL, leaves the track after a 15-year career that established him as one of Britain’s most successful sprinters.

Adam first captured the nation's attention at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where he reached the 100m semi-finals while still a teenager. He went on to become the first British man to run sub-10 seconds for the 100m and sub-20 seconds for the 200m.

His career highlights include:

• Being crowned European champion in the 200m at the 2014 championships
• Securing a historic 4x100m relay gold medal at the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London
• Representing Team GB at three Olympic Games: London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020
• Winning gold in the 100m at the 2014 BUCS outdoor championships while representing UEL

UEL has a rich history of current and former students competing in the Olympic and Paralympic Games including Gemma Gibbons and Lawrence Okolie. 

Will Ashby, Head of Performance Sport and East London Phoenix, said,

We are incredibly proud of everything Adam has achieved throughout his career. He remains a premier example of the 'dual career' path we champion here at UEL, proving that our students can achieve world-class success both academically and on the global sporting stage. Adam is a true inspiration to our community and a testament to our position as a leading sports institution."

Adam’s experience at UEL demonstrates the University’s role in nurturing talent and supporting students to achieve success beyond the classroom. He graduated with a 2:1 in BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science while competing internationally, developing into a world-class athlete during his time at the University.

Adam is now returning to his roots in football; he is set to join the Chelsea FC Academy as a speed coach to help develop the next generation of athletes.

If you are inspired by Adam's journey and want to develop your own athletic potential, you can learn more about the elite sport, scholarships and facilities available.

Learn more about our sport science courses.