Adele Nicoll has never been an athlete fulfilled with taking the obvious route. The former Cardiff Met student first established a reputation in athletics, developing as a shot putter while studying at the university and building the power, technique and competitive edge that would later help her become a multiple-time British champion. Before then, her sporting career took an unexpected turn when videos of her impressive training regime caught the attention of the British Bo

Cardiff Met is proud to celebrate the outstanding contribution of Elinor Snowsill, whose leadership as WRU Player Development Centre East Lead and coaching role with Wales Women U18s are continuing to make a real impact on the future of the women’s game in Wales. Her work across the Player Development Centre pathway and on the international stage reflects the strength of the programme, the commitment of the staff around her, and the exciting talent coming through from East Wa

Cardiff Met University is celebrating a significant sporting achievement after students Jessica Mantle, Lewis Stephens and Dion Griffith were selected to represent Wales at the 2026 Loughborough International. The prestigious annual competition, often earmarked as the unofficial start of the outdoor track & field season in the UK and held at the Paula Radcliffe Stadium in Loughborough, is one of the most respected events in the UK Athletics calendar, bringing together represe

Cardiff Met’s Head of Performance Services, Michael Peacock, has gained valuable insight from leading sport organisations across the UK and United States after being selected for a specialist athlete development conference and international learning visit. Since January 2025, Michael has been part of the Talent Pathway: Leading Cultures Programme, organised by Sport England and TASS Learning, the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme. The programme brought together a specially

Cardiff Met athletes produced a strong series of performances at the BUCS Athletics Outdoor Championships, with medals, personal bests and final appearances across a busy weekend of competition in Cardiff. Images by Carl Robertson The 2025-26 championships took place at Cardiff International Sports Campus, bringing university athletes from across the UK to the capital for one of the major events in the BUCS calendar. Among the medal performances for Cardiff Met, Will Bishop d

Cardiff Met student-athlete Freya Bell marked a major milestone in her rugby career after making her senior Wales debut against England in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations at Ashton Gate. Bell, who studies BSc (Hons) Sport, Physical Education and Health at Cardiff Met, came off the bench in the 72nd minute as Wales faced the Red Roses in front of a record crowd in Bristol. England went on to win 62-24, continuing their remarkable winning run in the Championship, but Wales pro

Cardiff Met Archers enjoyed a strong showing on Basketball Wales National League Finals Day, with both the men’s and women’s teams reaching the finals at Bangor University. There was title success for the women, who were crowned champions after a 70-65 victory over Ynys Môn in an impressive finals performance. The win was driven by a standout display from international student Emme Eisenman, who was named MVP after producing an all-action performance with 24 points, 14 reboun

Cardiff Met Rugby has announced a significant expansion of its coaching and performance team, with several new full-time roles being created across the men’s and women’s programmes. The recruitment drive comes following the recent announcement that long-serving Head Coach Dr Ian Gardner steps down from his role, marking the end of a successful period for the programme while opening the door to a new phase of investment and growth. The Cardiff Met Rugby Programme will introduc

Cardiff Metropolitan University rugby players were in action on the international stage at the HSBC SVNS event in Vancouver, Canada, with current students and alumni representing their countries across the weekend. Henry Kirwan and Amy Williams Three current members of Cardiff Met WRFC, Saran Jones, Amy Williams and Gabby Healan, were selected for the Great Britain Women’s Sevens squad, competing against some of the best teams in the world on the HSBC SVNS circuit. The Vancou

"When all else is equal, defence is king” said former England head coach Stuart Lancaster. That proved true at the weekend when Italy claimed a historic victory over England in the Guinness Six Nations. Helping organise the Azzurri defence was Cardiff Met Sport alumnus Richard Hodges, bringing his defensive expertise to the international stage. Hodges, who studied Sport and Human Movement Studies at Cardiff Met, graduated in 1998 and has built an impressive coaching career ac

Cardiff Metropolitan University student-athlete Romano Franco has taken a major step in his cricketing career after signing his first rookie contract with Glamorgan County Cricket Club . The SCRaM (Sport, Coaching and Rehabilitation Management) student has agreed to a full-time, two-year rookie contract , marking a significant milestone as he transitions into the professional game. The deal was officially announced by Glamorgan on 27 January 2026 . Franco, who represents Ca

Cardiff Metropolitan University is proud to celebrate the selection and recognition of a number of athletes connected to Cardiff Met Sport who are progressing onto the international stage ahead of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games . Among those recognised by Team GB is Adele Nicoll , a former Cardiff Met student, staff member and coach, who has been named as one of ten athletes to watch ahead of the Games. A national shot put champion, Adele transiti

Fourteen-year-old skateboarder Jowan Joyce-Richards announced himself as one of Wales’ most exciting young talents after winning gold in the Best Trick category at the 2026 Skateboard GB Welsh Park & Street Open . The event took place on 17–18 January 2026 at Spit & Sawdust Skatepark in Cardiff and marked the first major regional skateboarding competition of the year. Featuring both park and street disciplines and a £4,000 prize pool , the Welsh Open attracted competitors

Badminton athlete Harper Leigh has been crowned Welsh Senior National Champion , securing his first senior national title at the Welsh Senior Nationals on 1 February 2026 . Leigh, who competes in full-time badminton and is supported through the TASS programme in partnership with Badminton Wales , has been training in strength and conditioning at Cardiff Metropolitan University since December 2023 . His preparation has been overseen by Dai Watts , with Leigh consistently d

Welsh boxer Taylor Bevan continues his rapid rise in the professional ranks, maintaining a flawless 7–0 record since turning professional in October 2024 , while preparing to return to the amateur scene for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow . Bevan, who trains at Cardiff Metropolitan University, with the TASS Team has completed all of his strength and conditioning work at the university’s Athlete Performance Centre (APC) under the guidance of Dai Watts , training thr

Cardiff Metropolitan University has become the first university in Wales to partner with PlayerData to introduce industry-leading GPS technology into both student learning and athlete development. PlayerData provides Elite level performance tracking, and partners with over 1,500 professional sports clubs, including Premier League football teams such as Bournemouth and Crystal Palace. The collaboration will see GPS tracking and performance data integrated into the Sport