Kian Gadsby
The University of Nottingham has long been a powerhouse of sporting excellence, with teams consistently competing and emerging triumphant on national and international stages.
This reputation was reinforced last season, as 25 UoN teams secured National Championship titles, highlighting the university’s reputation as a nurturing ground for elite-level talent.
Such athletic prowess is bound to lead to further success, and many of these athletes will be hoping to advance their sporting careers.
In this instalment of our Students’ Sporting Stories series, we shine a spotlight on the tales of five of our finest athletes who, upon departing the University of Nottingham, have raised the bar and should serve as an inspiration to the current generation of superstars.
Etienne Stott and Tim Baille – Canoe Slalom
Starting this list with a duo, as Etienne Stott and Tim Baillie saw their legacies become inseparable after etching their names into the history books with glory at the London 2012 Olympics.
Both athletes were born in 1979, and after seeing the training facilities at the National Watersports Centre, they opted to join the University of Nottingham’s class of 2000, studying Mechanical Engineering.
Their time together as students enabled them to develop a relationship which would prove to be advantageous, as they went on to enjoy silverware as a team.
They secured a silver medal in the C2 Team category at the 2009 European Championships in Nottingham, before going on to lift the European title in the same event in Augsburg in 2012.
However, their crowning achievement came at the 2012 Olympics.
As underdogs, they defied elite opposition, and the duo cemented their status in Green and Gold folklore by winning the C2 title in front of a raucous home crowd.
Honourable Mention: David Florence
The Canoe Slalom coaches were producing excellent athletes at this time, and an honourable mention should go to fellow UoN alumnus David Florence.
Florence studied Mathematical Physics, graduating in 2005, and regularly competed alongside Stott and Baille in team competitions.
Remarkably, Florence finished in second place in the C2 event in those Olympics, securing a sensational double podium for both Team GB and UoN.
Kristian Bromley – Bobsleigh
Although Winter sports often miss out on the spotlight, any list of successful UoN athletes would be incomplete without skeleton superstar Kristian Bromley.
Bromley graduated from the University of Nottingham in 1994 with a degree in Mechanical Design, Materials and Manufacture, before going on to do a PhD in Materials Engineering.
His thesis, ‘Factors Affecting the Performance of Skeleton Bobsleigh’, earned him the media nickname ‘Dr Ice’ in an affectionate nod to his unique blend of scientific insight and sporting talent.
The research was clearly effective, as he went on to represent Team GB at four Winter Olympics, whilst also winning three European Championships and two Skeleton World Cup titles.
However, his crowning moment came in 2008, when a scintillating performance at the FIBT World Championship saw him win the gold medal.
This achievement was significant as it secured Team GB’s first gold medal at those games since 1965 and cemented Bromley’s place as a legend of UoN sport.
Anne Panter – Hockey
Whilst it is rare that active UoN athletes end up going to the Olympics, Anne Panter is a prime example of an exception to the rule, as she was part of Team GB’s hockey team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing during her studies.
Panter made her debut for Team GB in 2002, and she started studying Mathematics and Economics at the University of Nottingham in the same year.
As she quickly became an integral part of the Team GB side, Panter even ended up splitting some of her study years to focus on Hockey. She finally graduated in the class of 2009 after a seven-year stint at the university.
That dedication proved to be worthwhile, as she earned over 100 caps for her country across a decade-long career.
Highlights include three bronze medals in European Championships, but her defining achievement came as a part of the Team GB squad, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics in London by beating New Zealand 3-1 in the third-place play-off game.
Brian Moore – Rugby Union
Of course, for some athletes, the Olympics is not always the desired destination, and that was certainly the case for Rugby Union sensation Brian Moore.
Moore signed for Nottingham Rugby Club in 1981, making 196 appearances playing as a hooker throughout his time in the Midlands.
He earned some of these whilst studying Law at the University of Nottingham, and he completed his degree in 1984.
Moore enjoyed a scintillating playing career, as after graduating, he went on to earn 64 caps for England, and he even participated in the Lions’ tours of Australia and New Zealand in 1989 and 1993 respectively.
Upon retirement from rugby, Moore put his degree to good use by starting a legal career.
However, he curtailed that a couple of years later to begin a broadcasting journey which saw him become a renowned commentator for rugby matches broadcast on the BBC.
The University of Nottingham has a proud and growing legacy and a strong track record of producing elite athletes.
With such a legacy to build on, today’s student-athletes wearing the Green and Gold are poised to take the torch forward and perhaps one day earn their own place in UoN sporting history.
Make sure to join us for our next instalment of the Students’ Sporting Stories series, as we talk to some current stars about what it means to represent their country.
Kian Gadsby
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