Ten St Mary's Athletes in British Athletics Squad for Rio 2016

British Athletics announced their full squad for Rio on Wednesday 13^th July, it includes ten from St Mary’s, a combination of current students, alumni and athletes from the Endurance Performance and Coaching Centre (EPACC). In the Women’s events Lennie Waite, 3000m Steeplechase, Steph Twell, 5000m, Beth Potter and Jo Pavey, 10,000m, and Jade Lally, Discus, will all be competing. The Men’s team includes Elliot Giles, 800m, Charlie Grice, 1500m, Rob Mullet, 3000m Steeplechase, Mo Farah, 5000m & 10,000m, and Andy Vernon, 10,000m. Speaking of the selections St Mary’s Director of Sport Andrew Reid-Smith said, “To have ten athletes selected as part of a British Athletics squad of 80 is outstanding. The London Marathon partnership has supported the nine endurance runners, and St Mary's EPACC runners will compete in nearly every track endurance event. It's an exciting team and it will be great to see Mo Farah running for more Gold medals alongside others such as Beth Potter and Elliot Giles, competing in their first Games.” The athletes in the British Athletics squad add to four more athletes that have already been selected. Leonora MacKinnon, Team Canada – Women’s Epee Fencing, and Joshua Buatsi, Team GB – Light Heavyweight Boxing, who are both current students, and alumni Moe Sbihi, Team GB Men’s Four Rowing, and Karen Bennett, Women’s Eight Rowing. St Mary’s has a proud history of Olympic and Paralympic success. The University’s sporting alumni include Mo Farah, the London 2012 double gold medallist and GB’s best ever distance runner, Rebecca Romero, an Olympic medallist in two different sports rowing and cycling making her one of GB’s greatest ever Olympians, and Moe Sbihi, London 2012 Bronze Medallist and World Champion Rower. Dave Weir, winner of four gold medals at the London Paralympics, trains at St Mary’s using the world-class facilities and support services. As part of St Mary’s contribution to the London Games the University supported athletes from ten different nations and provided Pre Games Training Camps for China, South Africa, Japan and Ireland. Based on London 2012 medals won St Mary’s finished sixth, the highest placed London institution, in Podium’s league table for universities. Lord Coe, the chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and President of the IAAF, opened St Mary’s latest sports facilities. International athletes competing at the Games used these facilities, which continue to provide a sporting legacy for students, staff and local community alike.