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Cambridge 2012 competitors

The University has an impressive history of Olympic success, boasting over 320 Olympians and more than 130 medals, of which 82 are Gold.

Discover some of the Cantabrigian competitors who went to the London 2012 Games below, watch sporting footage past and present from Cambridge on the Tracking "The Cambridge Pulse" blog, read about alumni memories of sport at Cambridge or find our catalogue of Olympian alumni.

selection icon cambridge blue  Other Cantabrigians selected for the 2012 Games were Andy Baddeley (GBR 1500m, Gonville &
  Caius 2000) and Tom Ransley (Bronze medal-winning GBR Men's Eight, Hughes Hall 2007).
Julia Bleasdale (Pembroke 2000)
Julia Bleasdale (Pembroke 2000)
Julia ran in the 10,000m at Stanford in America on April 29, and posted a time of 31 minutes 29 seconds, making her number one in the UK, and it’s the fifth-fastest time by a British woman ever.

Annie Lush (Emmanuel 1999)
Annie Lush (Emmanuel 1999)
Annie Lush rowed in the winning crew of the 2001 Women’s Boat Race, before turning her passion for sailing into a full-time career.

Anna Watkins (Newnham 2001)
Anna Watkins (Newnham 2001)
Pre-competition ritual: “I am not superstitious at all. The closest thing we have to a mascot is our race boat, which we consider to be the third member of our crew.”

Stacie Powell (Churchill 2009)
Stacie Powell (Churchill 2009)
Winning feels like: “For me nothing beats the feeling from knowing I have jumped off a 10 metre dive board, performed three-and-a-half somersaults on the way down and hit the water without making a splash!”

Tom James MBE (Trinity Hall 2002)
Tom James MBE (Trinity Hall 2002)
Winning feels like: “It’s different every time. At the Beijing Olympics, there was just a feeling of relief. In the World Championships, it was more of an ego boost.”

Emma Pooley (Trinity Hall 2001)
Emma Pooley (Trinity Hall 2001)
Sporting hero: "Paula Radcliffe has always been my hero because running was my first serious sport and she always seemed so friendly and humble."

George Nash (St Catharine’s 2008)
George Nash (St Catharine’s 2008)
Sporting hero? “Didier Cuche because the way he approaches racing is really positive and inspiring”

Annie Vernon (Downing 2001)
Annie Vernon (Downing 2001)

What does winning feel like? “When you win, it’s a relief not to have messed it up, then happiness and joy sink in and you feel it’s all worth it.”


Silas Stafford (Gonville & Caius 2008)
Silas Stafford (Gonville & Caius 2008)
Winning feels like: “It’s an amazing feeling – you immediately forget all the pain and suffering you’ve experienced in the training and the race.”

Jake Cornelius (Emmanuel 2006)
Jake Cornelius (Emmanuel 2006)

Key piece of equipment: “The oar handle, because it’s my one connection to the water”