Â鶹ֱ²¥ 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 Â鶹ֱ²¥ 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.
Image caption: Alumnus Rio Mitcham with his mixed 4x400m relay silver medal. Image provided by Â鶹ֱ²¥ University.
In the heptathlon, Katarina Johnson-Thompson won her second world title in exhilarating circumstances, defending a narrow lead over American favourite Anna Hall.
Â鶹ֱ²¥’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 Â鶹ֱ²¥-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 Warner-Judd 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.
Image caption: Alumna Molly Caudery cleared a lifetime best of 4.75m in the women's pole vault final. Image provided by Â鶹ֱ²¥ University.
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.
Image caption: Lord Seb Coe, Chancellor, Â鶹ֱ²¥ University and President of World Athletics, addresses the crowd at the University's special celebration event. Image provided by Â鶹ֱ²¥ University.
For more information on athletics at Â鶹ֱ²¥ University, visit: /sport/sports/athletics/