Local Student Takes On Top UK Uni Athletes

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Speedy Joanna has the X-Factor in university championships

It was mud, sweat and cheers for race ace Joanna Mobed who took on the country's finest university athletes as she competed in a gruelling national cross country competition.

The 21-year-old law student, representing BPP University, battled towards a strong finish during this weekend's British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Cross Country Championships held in Brighton.

The energy-sapping championship race saw around 500 athletes compete including several Great Britain internationals including two European Junior Champions.

Despite battling the hills and snow, as well as taking a tumble during the first lap, tenacious Joanna powered home to finish 36th in the Under-23s category and 124th overall following a time of 28 minutes and 4 seconds at last weekend’s event.

Joanna, said:
"I was happy with my run particularly because I ranked 20 places higher than when I competed at BUCS as an undergraduate.

"That was all in spite of the fact that I fell over on the first lap and ended up covered in mud for the rest of the race!

"But overall I was delighted to compete at BUCS and I was really grateful to have been given the opportunity to race for BPP."

Wandsworth-born Joanna, who is studying the Graduate Diploma in Law at BPP Waterloo, has been running competitively since the tender age of 15 having taken up the sport whilst training with Thames Valley Harriers (TVH) athletics club.

Her cross country highlights this season so far include representing TVH in the winning country championships team early January and finishing in the top 10 in her Under-23s age group at last month's South of England Cross Country Championships.

February 6, 2015