Athletes inspire at Paris Olympics
The curtain may have come down on the 2024 Olympic Games but memories live on as Paris played host to another exceptional series of events, with 14 University-linked athletes and staff playing their part, bringing home two bronze medals. We take a look at the contributions of Edinburgh alumni.
Oli Wilkes (2018, Sustainable Energy Systems) was simply sensational in his performance in the men’s fours rowing, with the team securing a bronze medal.
The University's Head of Performance Rowing, Colin Williamson, saw the raw talent in Oli Wilkes during his time at university and helped develop that talent through to GB level where he is now a firm part of the successful men’s fours, which we hope to see in Los Angeles 2028. He said:
Watching Oli on the podium in Paris was a great moment for the club, and a fitting end to what has been a fantastic journey. He joined us as a former swimmer with only a year of rowing behind him. He went on to make a medal winning debut for Great Britain whilst studying his Masters degree, and we have looked on with pride as he moved to join the GB Senior team and become a World and European Champion. Oli has written himself into Edinburgh University Boat Club (EUBC) history as one of our most successful ever rowers."
Lisa Thomson (2022, Applied Sports Science) and the GB Sevens rugby squad also put on an impressive performance as they made it through to the quarter finals - but were unfortunately edged out by the USA in a thrilling 17-7 match.
And Lucy Hope (2021, Accounting and Business) was a member of the 4x100m freestyle swimming squad who qualified for the final event and finished a fantastic 7th in a high-quality final.
Meanwhile, Sarah Robertson (2017, Law) had what is best described as a rollercoaster of a Games as part of the Team GB field hockey squad. She made an undeniably fantastic impact, especially in a 2-1 win over South Africa that saw her reaching the milestone of 100 GB caps, and being presented with a special gift by the legendary Andy Murray.
The team's results were a mixed bag, however, although they eventually fought back from two opening defeats to make the quarter finals, and, in a very tight match, ended on the wrong side of a 3-1 score-line against the Netherlands.
Finally, 2021 Performance Psychology alumna, Seonaid McIntosh, just missed out on the finals of the 10 metre air rifle and 50 metre rifle three position events after facing unfortunate technical issues when her equipment was damaged while being held in secure storage. Her father and coach (and University of Edinburgh Sports Hall of Fame member) Donald McIntosh acted quickly, however, to fix the equipment during the warm-up. Seonaid subsequently put in powerful performances throughout her time in the competition.
Behind the scenes and in front of the camera
The University alumni community also had strong representation within the teams who support the Olympic athletes. As mentioned before, Donald McIntosh (1988, Computer Science) was a coach for the GB shooting squad; Lucy Glover (2022, Psychology) travelled as a reserve in the rowing squad; and Sarah Wilson (2021, BEd Physical Education) officiated in hockey - including the honour of umpiring the women’s final.
Meanwhile the BBC coverage included 2024 Sports Hall of Fame inductee JJ Chalmers (2009, Education) on presenting duties, with Sir Chris Hoy (1999, Applied Sports Science) joining him as an analyst.
Honouring an Olympic icon
The 2024 Olympic Games also marked the centenary of Eric Liddell’s historic success at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.
We are extraordinarily proud of the University’s association with Eric Liddell, who was our inaugural Sport Hall of Fame inductee in 2008. Eric Liddell was a science student at the University in the early 1920’s as well as being an iconic Scottish athlete celebrated for his Olympic success and his religious conviction.
He was an exceptional athlete and multiple record holder in the sprint events - in matter of fact, his 100 yards best of 9.7 sec stood as a British record for an incredible 35 years.
He was selected for the GB & Northern Ireland team at the Paris Olympic Games in 1924. However, he declined to run in his preferred 100 yds event because it took place on a Sunday, which conflicted with his Christian beliefs. Instead, he took part in the 200m, winning a bronze medal. He then stepped up to the 400m event, and with minimal preparation and against all odds, he won the race by six metres and in a world record time.
Eric Liddell’s remarkable story has been the subject of several books and TV documentaries, as well as the Oscar winning Film ‘Chariots of Fire’. After graduating from University, Eric’s life became increasingly dominated by missionary work, particularly in China.
Honorary degree
On Monday, 15th July, Eric Liddell was posthumously awarded an honorary degree from The University of Edinburgh. His daughter, Patricia Liddell Russell, travelled all the way from Canada to Edinburgh to receive this honour.
Mr Liddell was awarded a posthumous degree of doctor honoris causa by the University’s Moray House School of Education and Sport. Mr Liddell was nominated for a posthumous honorary degree by the University of Edinburgh’s, Chair of Sport, Professor Grant Jarvie.
Sports Hall of Fame - 2024 inductees
Three sporting icons from the worlds of swimming, television presenting and ultrarunning have been inducted into the University’s Sports Hall of Fame
Lucy Hope
Lucy Hope is a seven-time European champion swimmer who made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020.
A specialist in the 100 and 200 metre freestyle, Lucy was a key member of the University Performance Swimming Programme. She received her University Blue in 2018/19 and was awarded the Eva Bailey Cup for most distinguished female athletic performance in 2019/20 and 2020/2. She is amongst only a handful of people to win the award twice.
Lucy has excelled on the national and international stage. First representing Scotland aged 17, Lucy competed at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games finishing 4th in the 4x100m Medley Relay and 5th in both 100m and 200m Freestyle relays. From there Lucy thrived in both relay and individual races competing at two more Commonwealth Games, claiming bronze at the 2023 World Championships and medalling 7 times at the British Swimming Championships including winning two gold medals in 2018 for the 50m backstroke and 50m freestyle.
On the European stage Lucy has shone in Mixed and Freestyle relays. She won gold at her first appearance in 2018 as part of the 4 x 200m Freestyle relay team and repeated her podium success nine times, claiming gold at six subsequent championships.
Lucy secured her spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (2021) following her success at the 2021 European Championships where she broke the Scottish 100m freestyle record during the 4x100m relay final and at the British Swimming championships where she produced the only sub-two minute swim in the 200m freestyle. At the 2020 Olympics Hope proved her talent as part of the women's 4x100m freestyle relay finishing in fifth place. Following another successful Olympic trials campaign, Lucy was selected as part of the GB squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics
Lucy continues to be an inspiration to young athletes who has demonstrated her skill and commitment to performing consistently at the highest level in her sport.
JJ Chalmers
JJ Chalmers is a Scottish television presenter and Invictus Games medallist. He was wounded in a bomb blast in Afghanistan in 2011, while serving as a Royal Marine.
In September 2014 Chalmers took part in the inaugural Invictus Games in London winning three medals. In the Men’s IRecB1 Recumbent Road cycling he captained and won gold as part of a British trio who crossed the line together. He also picked up two bronze medals in the 1-mile time trial Recumbent Road Cycling and the Mixed 4x100m relay.
Following his success at the Invictus games JJ Chalmers and needing to find a new path due to the curtailment of his career in the marines, JJ was inspired to embark on a broadcasting career. His early credits include covering National Paralympic Day on Channel 4 as well as presenting an online show for the IPC Athletics World Championships.
In 2016 Chalmers travelled to Rio de Janeiro as a studio presenter covering the Summer Paralympic Games and since 2017 has anchored BBC1s coverage of the Invictus Games. He has become a key part of the BBC Sport’s team reporting on major events such as The Commonwealth Games, The London Marathon and The Great North Run.
Chalmers has also had the opportunity to commentate on D-Day Memorial coverage, Trooping of the Colour, The Duke of Edinburgh, and Her Majesty The Queen’s funeral and The King’s Coronation, paying homage to his Military background.
In 2016 JJ Chalmers made history as the first disabled presenter to present across both the Olympic Games (BBC1) and Paralympic Games (Channel 4). Since then, he has covered the Tokyo Olympics (2020) and continues to be an integral part of the BBC1's Olympic presenter squad and Channel Four's Paralympics coverage.
JJ Chalmers’ story is one of extraordinary strength, resilience, and passion as he continues to advocate for veterans alongside a successful career as a television presenter.
Jasmin Paris MBE
Jasmin Paris MBE is an ultra-marathon runner and veterinarian at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Science.
She was the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons, one of the world’s toughest sporting challenges. The record breaking ultrarunner cemented her place in the history books by finishing the gruelling 100-mile race within its 60-hour time limit. She is one of only 20 people to complete the race in its 38-year history.
Each year, competitors will climb 63,000 feet, twice the height of Mount Everest, over the course of the self-navigated race. Over 98% of those who enter the race fail to finish. Paris was first invited to compete in the Barkley Marathons in 2022 where she completed three out of five loops before another attempt in 2023, completing 3 loops again. In 2024 Jasmin returned to compete again and made history by completing all five loops within 60 hours, only the 20th person in the race’s history to do so, and the first woman to reach the yellow gate that marks the finish line.
Her achievements as an elite ultra-marathon runner are well-documented, including summiting a record-breaking 29 Munros, Scottish mountains over 3000 feet, within 24 hours.
In 2019, she ran the 268-mile Spine Race across the Pennine Way in just over 83 hours, famously pausing to express breast milk for her baby, before going on to win the gruelling challenge, slicing 12 hours off the record time.
Jasmin has seen a series of success at national level winning the Scottish Hill Running Championships in 2014 and 2015 and secured a bronze medal at the 2014 British Fell Running Championships before going on to win gold in 2015 and 2018.
She has also had success on the world stage where she was crowned champion in the Skyrunner World Series Sky Extreme category in 2016 and finished third in the Skyrunning World Championships.
Jasmin is a shining example of success in both her academic career and as a trailblazer for women in endurance running.
All opinions expressed are those of the individuals being quoted and do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Edinburgh.
Sport at Edinburgh
Find out about more our University's sporting history, facilities and people on the Sport @ Edinburgh website.