Loughborough University Athletes Shine at World Athletics Championships, Bringing Home Multiple Medals

Loughborough University Athletes Shine at World Athletics Championships, Bringing Home Multiple Medals

(IN BRIEF) Loughborough University athletes have achieved remarkable success at the World Athletics Championships held in Budapest. Over nine days of intense competition, the university’s athletes secured an impressive medal tally of three golds, one silver, and two bronze medals. Noteworthy performances included Business Analytics graduate Ben Pattison winning a surprising bronze in the 800m, Katarina Johnson-Thompson securing a remarkable gold in the heptathlon, and Great Britain’s men’s 4x400m relay team claiming a bronze. The university’s athletes played a pivotal role in contributing to Great Britain’s overall medal count, and the event celebrated Loughborough’s longstanding success in the sport.

(PRESS RELEASE) LOUGHBOROUGH, 29-Aug-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Loughborough University athletes are returning home as heroes after producing some extraordinary performances at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Loughborough athletes recorded a mammoth medal haul of three golds, one silver, and two bronze after nine days of thrilling competition in Hungary’s capital city.

Among the astounding highlights at a raucous National Athletics Centre, recent Business Analytics graduate Ben Pattison won a shock 800m bronze, university-based Katarina Johnson-Thompson secured a stunning heptathlon gold, and Great Britain’s men claimed a brilliant 4x400m relay bronze.

In the 800m, Pattison, 21, produced a sensational performance to claim a podium place on his World Championships debut, just three years after being diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening heart condition.

Timing his run to perfection, he moved through the field and looked shell-shocked as he crossed the line in 1:44.83 for a brilliant bronze.

Elsewhere, Great Britain’s men’s 4x400m relay bronze medal winners featured three Loughborough athletes – alumni pair Rio Mitcham and Charlie Dobson, and current PhD student Alex Haydock-Wilson.

The trio combined brilliantly alongside teammate Lewis Davey to hold off a strong challenge from Jamaica to medal behind eventual winners USA and silver-winners France.

It proved to be alumnus Rio Mitcham’s second medal of the Championships after he helped Great Britain to a dramatic mixed 4x400m relay silver on the opening day in Budapest.

In the heptathlon, Katarina Johnson-Thompson won her second world title in exhilarating circumstances, defending a narrow lead over American favourite Anna Hall.

Loughborough’s medal contribution ensured that Great Britain finished seventh in the overall table with ten medals – equalling their best-ever record at the Worlds from 1993.

Elsewhere, the University also contributed to international medals as USA and Loughborough-based Chase Ealey defended her Worlds title to secure back-to-back gold medals in the shot-put with a huge throw of 20.43.

Staying in the field, Neeraj Chopra – who used the University as his winter training base – made history by winning India’s first-ever gold medal at a World Championships with a throw of 88.17m in the javelin.

There were also further performances to be proud of as current PhD student Jessica Judd-Warner recorded an excellent top-eight finish in the women’s 10,000m final, alumna Molly Caudery landed an incredible lifetime best of 4.75m in the women’s pole vault final, and alumna Morgan Lake finished a brilliant fourth in the high jump with an outdoor personal best of 1.97m.

The Championships marked a special occasion for the University as stakeholders, partners, sport administration professionals, alumni, coaches, and current and former athletes all gathered at a key event to celebrate the institution’s long-standing success in the sport.

For more information on athletics at Loughborough University, visit: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/sport/sports/athletics/

Media Contact:

Dan Trussell
PR Manager (Sport)
01509 228686
mailto:d.trussell@lboro.ac.uk

Source: Loughborough University