Sport Scholar successes
16 February 2009
LJMU Sport Scholars reign supreme at international games.
Nicola Rowley and Kevin Jones
Two of LJMU’s Sport Scholars travelled to Cape Town, South Africa, to represent GB in the World Biathlon Championships.
Nicola Rowley, a modern pentathlete studying Sports Science at LJMU, battled the heat to bring home a well-earned bronze medal.
The first 1500m run on the grass course consisted of sharp bends, with a good 800m exposed to a strong head wind. Nicola kept with the first team of athletes which included South Africans and Italians. The first run was fast and by the final 500m the field began to spread out. A good transition saw Nicola enter the cold tidal estuary battling for 5th position. Over the 200m swim Nicola and her team-mate moved up the field, a strong tactical swim gave Nicola 4th position out of the water and into transition with 1500m to go. Slowly the field caught her up. Nicola was now in 3rd place, and fought hard to keep in bronze position and try to close the gap with her team-mate in 2nd. She held her bronze position, finishing only 7 seconds behind silver.
Kevin Jones’ race saw a very strong group of South Africans and one German, himself being the only British competitor. The well-worn terrain made for difficult footing - causing Kevin to slip twice, forcing him to play catch-up on each occasion and resulting in entering the transition into the cold estuary waters at the back. Kevin then changed up a gear and stormed back into the race, coming out of the water in 3rd position. He began the last 1500m run and continued to hold his position until the South African dominance took place and he slipped back to 5th, maintaining this position to the end of the competition in what was a very close field.
Rebecca Nuttall
LJMU Sport Scholar Rebecca Nutall powered to the top of the UK rankings in the 1500m Reykjavik International Games.
Rebecca, an 18 year old Sports Science student at LJMU, stepped into the unknown for her first international competition on foreign shores and went on to win the senior women’s 1500m with a personal best time of 4:37:02. She commented: “I’m made up to be number one in the UK as I didn’t expect to go there and win. I was just going there to enjoy the competition, so I’m really happy with how it turned out.”
“It was an amazing experience to be away with the national team and see a different country. I really thrive in big events and I just want to experience more of them now.”
Rebecca, who won the Welsh senior U20s and schools 800m titles last year, has been training hard for the event with her new club Liverpool Harriers. After 11 years with Deeside AC, she made the switch after moving to Liverpool to study at LJMU.
