Students to head south in medal hunt

MORE than 100 athletes who study in the Capital are heading to Sheffield this week aiming for glory at the British Universities and Colleges (BUCS) Championships.

The majority of those travelling south for the five-day multi-sport event that starts tomorrow study at Edinburgh University, but Heriot-Watt University will also be represented as well as other institutions.

One of the teams expected to compete for a first-place finish is the women’s fencing team from Edinburgh University.

The talented team will be looking to better their semi-final spot of last year and replicate their 2010 victory. The strong unit includes Lisa Mckenzie, who competed in the World Junior Championships in 2009, British age-grade cap Catriona Sibert and Louise Helyer.

Post-graduate student Helyer has previously won double team gold at the World Junior Championships in China in 2006 and competed at a high level all over the world and is looking forward to this week, saying: “We have a pretty strong group so we are going to Sheffield looking to do well and it is always fun to be part of a team as you are performing for each other.

“It will also be fun being part of a multi-sport event.”

Helyer also goes into this event on a high having won silver at the BUCS Modern Pentathlon Championships in Oxford at the weekend.

Other top hopes from Edinburgh University look set to come in karate in which they are current British champions and have Chloe McLean in their ranks who is really making a name for herself in the sport while in climbing, Natalie Berry will be looking to go one better than last year when she won silver.