Performance: Sports Bursar earns GB call up

1 March 2010

Second year Biomedical Science student Caryl Granville has been selected to compete for the Great Britain combined events team at an international competition in France this month. 

Caryl, who competes for Cardiff University and Carmarthen Harriers, is currently part of the University’s elite Sports Bursary Programme and is quite rightly recognised as an extremely talented all round athlete. This is supported by the fact that she has already competed for GB in the Pentathlon and Heptathlon. The upcoming International in France is a great chance for Caryl to showcase her skills as one of GB’s best combined events athletes. She will be competing in the Pentathlon (combines 60 metre hurdles, high jump, shot putt, long jump and 800 metres) against some of Europe’s best young athletes. This is a fantastic opportunity for Caryl to get her season off to a flying start and begin the task of gaining qualifying times/distances for the Commonwealth Games. As a Welsh speaker, Caryl is passionate about representing Wales to the best of her ability and the Commonwealth Games in India next autumn present her with a fantastic opportunity to achieve this goal.

Caryl must be given recognition for the way she has continued to manage her time effectively whilst at University. Being in full time education whilst trying to reach the highest echelons of World Athletics is an unenviable task but so far Caryl has taken everything in her stride and continued to be successful on both counts. Upon returning from representing GB in France she will be competing for Cardiff University in the BUCS Indoor Athletics Championships in March. This is seen as an important event for all young athletes as it is a great opportunity for them to compete against their peers and rivals for international selection. Caryl has opted to compete in both the 400 metres and 60 metre hurdles in the event. Head of Sport Stuart Vanstone commented ‘Cardiff University Sport & Exercise dept would like to congratulate Caryl on being awarded another GB vest. This is just reward for the hard work and commitment she has shown throughout the winter and is the perfect example of how to combine sport and academic studies effectively. It’s also great that Caryl is representing Cardiff University in the upcoming BUCS Indoor Championships, I’d like to wish her and the rest of our Athletics Club the best of luck for the event.’