As all eyes focus on athletes taking centre stage at the Paris Olympics, we’ll be cheering on some of our very own students who are competing at the Games.
Max Burgin, 22, from Halifax, has taken a break from studying history at the University of Leeds to take his place in Team GB.
Yorkshireman Max, who is coached by his dad Ian, became UK champion in 2022 when he ran a personal best of 1:43:52 in Finland, earning him fourth place at the time, in the British all-time list.
Max has shown true Yorkshire grit and determination, fighting back from a blood clot which left him unable to compete and using a mobility scooter. He’s also battled against Achilles problems.
But after achieving second place in a highly competitive men’s 800m at the UK Championships, Max qualified for the Paris Games and will take his place in the starting blocks on the Olympic stage.
Alongside Max in the Team GB lineup will be psychology student Kate Waugh, who has taken a two-year break from studying to focus on her triathlon training, and plans to return in September to continue her degree.
Kate, 24, took up the triathlon when she was just eight years old in her hometown of Gateshead.
She was named U23 World Champion in 2022 and claimed a World Triathlon Series victory as part of the mixed relay in Hamburg that same year. In 2023, she finished second to fellow Team GB triathlete Beth Potter at the World Triathlon Championship Finals in Pontevedra.
Meanwhile, Faisal Altannak, currently studying an International Foundation Year, will be representing Kuwait in swimming.
Suzanne Glavin, Head of Sport and Physical Activity at the University of Leeds, said: “It’s an immensely exciting time for these athletes and we can’t wait to see our current and former students take part in this historic event. They work so hard to get to the Olympics, and we’re so proud of them - we’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.”
Alumni heading to Paris
Over the years, the University has helped to nurture sporting champions – most notably the prolific siblings Alistair and Jonny Brownlee who share five Olympic medals between them.
Among the former Leeds students competing in Paris this year is 2011 linguistics and phonetics graduate Claire Cashmore in Team GB’s Paratriathlon PTS5 category.
For Claire, Paris marks a sixth Paralympic Games, and her second competing in paratriathlon since making the switch from swimming. She won a bronze medal in the event at Tokyo 2020 and expects another close contest for the podium with key rivals, US athlete Grace Norman and GB athlete Lauren Steadman.
Sam Dickinson (second from left) celebrates on the finish line with Team England team mates
Sam Dickinson, who studied sports science and physiology, graduating in 2019, joins Kate Waugh on the Team GB triathlon team. Sam won a gold medal in the triathlon mixed relay at the Commonwealth Games 2022 and played a key role in supporting former Leeds housemate and training partner Alex Yee to gold in the individual event. He will be hoping for similar success in Paris.
Sam credits Leeds with creating exceptional performers: “It’s hard here,” said Sam. “You’ve got the tough weather, the terrain, and then Alistair and Jonny [Brownlee] set up the Leeds Triathlon Centre so you have the facilities and the coaches in place to do well.”
Medicine graduate Phil Sesemann, who graduated in 2017, will take part in the marathon for Team GB. After 13 years of training in Leeds and racing for the city, Phil became the fifth fastest British marathon runner ever in qualification for Paris.
As a student, Phil would run from Hyde Park, up Otley Road to Headingley and back via Queenswood Drive. He’s since found a more scenic route – still in Leeds – and pounds the towpath of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal with his dogs Haile and Kipchoge, who are affectionately known as the ‘Mileage Mutts’.
Tyler Smith, who graduated in sports science and physiology in 2020, is competing in triathlon for Bermuda. Impressed by the facilities in the Leeds Triathlon Centre, Tyler applied to study at the University so he could learn from the best. “There aren’t many places in the world with that combination of expertise, top athletes and top facilities,” says Tyler.
Also competing in Paris will be Laura Sugar (Sport and Exercise Science 2012) a para-canoe competitor for Team GB.
Mark England
Those competing for Great Britain will find a fellow Leeds alum at the helm. Mark England (Economic History 1981) is Chef de Mission – the leader of the national delegation – for Team GB. Since joining the British Olympic Association in 2001, he has attended the past 11 Olympic Games (summer and winter) in a leadership role and was Chef de Mission at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.