A record year for sport at Durham
Celebrating our athletes from students to alumni
Our athletes hail from all walks of life, academic disciplines and Colleges and hone their skills while at Durham.
Durham athletes at Paris 2024
Five alumni and a graduating student competed in the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. Congratulations to Lauren Irwin (women's rowing), Tess Howard and Fiona Crackles (women's hockey), Jack Waller and Ollie Payne (men's hockey), and Gemma Collis (wheelchair fencing).
Paris 2024 in pictures
Browse the slideshow for a snapshot of our Olympic and Paralympic athletes in action.
Not just athletes
Our Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic representation hasn't stopped with competing athletes - a number of other members of Durham's sporting and academic community have been involved in a variety of ways.
Find out more
Watch videos with our Olympic and Paralympic athletes
A record year for sport at Durham
University and College level sport is thriving, but don't just take our word for it! Delve into our news articles, read our student blogs and check out Team Durham's social media.
Our summer of sport successes continues
Record-breaking season for sport at Durham
"The facilities at Maiden Castle are pretty special. It’s a pretty good set-up there and something athletes need for strength and conditioning, and physical fitness. You can’t really get much better. The sports staff and coaches have been brilliant as well."
Max Pepper
Professional rugby player for Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club and alumnus
"Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would win four National Championships in one year, and be part of a wider team breaking its all-time BUCS Championship record. It just goes to show how Team Durham fosters a culture of excellence."
Ryan Dickson
Durham volleyball, baseball, and MBA postgraduate and sports scholar, St Cuthbert’s Society
"Being able to train everyday with such a talented group has really helped me to continue to develop both as a player and a leader. So much so that I received my first England Lacrosse senior cap in April and was very grateful to receive Sportswoman of the Year at the University’s Palatinate Awards off the back of this at the start of June."
Lizzie Rutherford
Durham lacrosse, Geography student, Collingwood College
Explore the latest sports news
Our summer of sport successes continues
Our students, staff and alumni continue to represent Durham at international levels across the sporting spectrum this summer. From competing in the Olympic Games in Paris, the World Rowing Championships in Canada, and the Paralympic Games, our record year for sport shows no signs of slowing.
Making waves in Team GB's rowing squad
National spotlight for Durham's community sport programme
Our sporting community
Our student and alumni athletes regularly hit the headlines for a variety of sports. They also engage with the wider Durham community to inform and inspire, with initiatives for local schools as well as audiences around the globe.
Our researchers are at the forefront of sport thought leadership and research news too, from exploring barriers to physical activity, to analysing what women need to feel safer when attending football tournaments.
Discover the breadth of sporting activity at Durham
Our students, staff and alumni
Sporting thought leadership and research news
Read more from our students
Read about sport at Durham in our students' own words, and explore the wider sporting social media community.
Student blog highlights
Beyond the lecture theatre: exploring Durham's sports scene
College sport - Hill v Bailey
Inspiring the extraordinary
Our transformative wider student experience helps students develop team working and leadership capabilities.
We’re consistently ranked within the top three British universities for sport and were named as Sports University of the Year in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023. Sport is at the core of Durham student life, and a huge range of sporting opportunities is available, from joining College teams to competing at University level and beyond.