British heptathlon champion Jodie Smith explains why Brunel University London is ideal for track and field training

What are your greatest performances while you have been a Brunel Sports scholar?

My greatest achievements while being a Brunel scholar include winning six BUCS titles, breaking three championship bests, becoming the British champ in the heptathlon in 2022 and breaking the championship record, plus being selected for two GB under-23 teams competing at the European Under-23 Championships in the heptathlon.

How has Brunels scholarship programme provided what you need as an athlete to train, perform and recover?

The programme has allowed me to perform at my best due to a variety of factors. My recovery was enhanced due to the access to the spa and scholarship physio, with weekly massages being available too. The scholarship includes free access to Brunels sporting facilities which include an indoor and outdoor track, with an option of the performance gym and also commercial gym. The sports scholar halls are located 30 seconds from the indoor track, which made getting to and from training easy, allowing me to focus more on recovery post session.

What has been the best thing about the sports scholarship programme?

The prize money available at BUCS has been a huge benefit to me. Winning a gold medal at BUCS entitles you to 1000 in scholarship money which is a huge incentive and also helped support my upcoming season. In 2023 I won 3000 in scholarship money from the uni, with an additional 400 which is given to all scholars at the beginning of the year.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about joining Brunel and applying to the sports scholarship programme?

I think participating in athletics at Brunel is a good opportunity for any athlete, whether they apply to the scholarship programme or not. Athletics is one of Brunels priority sports they aim to encourage both participation and performance in athletics by encouraging and supporting each athletes journey. Applicants who might not be successful in first year may be rewarded with scholarship in later years based on performance at BUCS and other competitions.

To find out more about a Brunel athletics scholarship, click here