It was a standout and extremely busy weekend for Nova Centurion athletes, with swimmers competing at both our Nova Short Course Open Meet and the BUCS Short Course Championships. These events formed key preparation steps as we head towards our target meets in December, offering high-quality race exposure before the final phase of fine-tuning in training.
The weekend began with our own Nova Short Course Open Meet, which continues to play a vital role in the early-season development of our swimmers. The standard of competition was exceptional, helped by the commitment of the visiting clubs who ensured the meet remained competitive from start to finish. Nova athletes rose to the occasion, producing a series of impressive performances across all age groups. Several swimmers secured Winter National qualifying times, reflecting the strong progress being made across the programme. The team delivered an excellent medal haul, finishing with 79 golds, 64 silvers and 59 bronzes.
We extend a huge thank you to everyone who made the meet possible, especially organisers Will Oats and Rita Buckley. Our volunteers were, as always, central to the success of the event, and we are incredibly grateful for the time, energy and expertise they continue to give.
Upcoming Nova Open Meets – Save the Dates:
- 7th–8th March 2026 – Level 1 National Qualifier
- 7th June 2026 – Level 3 Long Course Sprint Meet
While racing was underway at home, a strong contingent of Nova student-athletes were representing both the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University at the BUCS Short Course Championships. Last season, the University of Nottingham finished second overall in BUCS and twelfth at the Short Course Championships, while Nottingham Trent University finished seventh overall in BUCS and forty-fourth at the Short Course Championships. This year, UoN continued their positive progression by finishing tenth at the Short Course Championships, with NTU’s final placing still awaited.
Their dedication was evident throughout the weekend, with several swimmers reaching finals and contributing valuable points to their university’s overall BUCS standings.
Our BUCS team representatives were:
Megan Sng – Medicine
Leo Taylor – Economics
Tyler Tombs – Politics, Philosophy & Economics
Zach Moyo – Engineering with Physical Sciences
David Coyle – Business with Economics
Joe Burgess – Sport & Exercise Science
Francesca Hallam-Scott – Chemistry
Emily Riach – Human Rights Law
Isis van der Stroom – Veterinary Medicine
Between the strong racing at our Short Course Open Meet and the excellent performances at BUCS, the weekend highlighted the momentum building across the Nova programme. Both events provided invaluable race practice and psychological readiness as we head into the decisive period of training before December’s target meets. The signs are incredibly promising, and we look forward to seeing what the next stage of the season brings.
