Brunel was one of 90 institutions contesting the British Universities Indoor Athletics Championships in Sheffield on 19-20 February, bringing home seven medals (two gold, three silver and two bronze) and earning a string of personal best performances.
The men’s team finished as runners up, narrowly behind Loughborough. The women’s team, almost halved by a spate of injuries and illnesses, finished fifth.
Psychology student Jermaine Olasan's 7.28m long jump earned the first of Brunel's two golds. Jermaine (pictured) said: “I’m really ecstatic to win my first BUCS title and hope to emulate my success at BUCS outdoors in early May.”
Also leaping to victory was International Business student Nathan Fox, coached by former Commonwealth triple jump champion Larry Achike, who won his second indoor BUCS gold medal in the triple jump with 15.21m. The Sports Scholar said: “I am very pleased with this victory. It’s an honour to represent Brunel, and I hope to make it three-in-a-row next year.”
Four other horizontal jumpers coached by Achike also excelled. In the men's team, Aviation Engineering student Michael Puplampu made it a Brunel one-two in the triple jump, while Communication and Media Studies student Nonso Okolo leapt to fourth place in the long jump. In the women's competition, first year International Business student Hannah Frankson continued a run of superb form with a silver medal in the triple jump, while her training partner in Achike’s squad, Sports Scholar Rochelle Jones, was just one place behind with a lifetime best.
Brunel ended the championships in fine style in the 4x200m relays. Captain Harvey Byrne anchored the men's quartet to the silver medal, alongside Ashley Bryant, Dannish Walker-Khan and Byron Robinson, and the women's team of Leah Moore, Gemma Malster, Harriet Pryke and Georgina Malster clinched bronze.