VC praises sporting links at conference

Sheffield Hallam’s eighth sports conference has been launched with a flurry of African tribal drums and a moving speech from its Vice Chancellor – who collected an Olympic torch for the University’s role in London 2012.

The University’s Vice Chancellor Professor Philip Jones received the torch from Team GB volleyball player Joel Miller and paid tribute to the University’s “crucial role” in sport across the city and beyond.

Professor Jones praised the University’s student volunteers who attended Beijing in 2008 and London 2012, and also paid tribute to its three leading research centres.

He went on to praise the University’s part in training sports stars such as Howard Webb, Kell Brook and Steve Peat and talked about the University securing athletics provision in the city at its new Sheffield Hallam University City Athletics Stadium.

Sheffield Hallam University’s sports conference 2014 runs for two days and features keynote speeches from sporting figures across the UK. This year’s theme Collaborate Or Collide celebrates the University’s sporting partnerships across the country

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