Team GB swimmer Joanne Jackson joined Iwan Thomas to launch inaugural BUCS Gatorade Nationals MMXIII, which will be held in Sheffield from 22nd-24th February 2013. The event, which will be the largest of its kind in the UK, will see approximately 6.000 student athletes compete across 12 different sports over three days, hosted at the world class facilities across Sheffield. 

Included in the event will be the BUCS Indoor Athletics Championships and BUCS Long Course Swimming Championships, both of which regularly feature current and prospective Team GB athletes. Athletes will also take part in boxing, climbing, badminton, karate, trampolining, judo, fencing, rifle, orienteering and ten pin bowling championship finals. 

BUCS has also signed an exclusive partnership with Gatorade to become the nutrition and hydration partner for the event. BUCS and Gatorade will work together to educate BUCS athletes on the importance of sports nutrition and hydration. 

Gatorade ambassador and Beijing Bronze medallist, swimmer Joanne Jackson, said: “University sport has played a vital role for many of my fellow Olympians development, so I am pleased to be supporting the launch of the BUCS Gatorade Nationals MMXIII. I know the importance of high class sports nutrition and hydration and have experienced first-hand how right knowledge and quality products from Gatorade, can help enhance performance.”

British University 400m Champion, Olympic Silver Medallist and former World Champion Iwan Thomas hosted the Channel 4 Paralympic coverage this year, said: “Having visited Olympic and Paralympic athletes up and down the country over the last couple of years it is clear to me of the role both University and College sport and dedicated and nurturing sponsors play in their development. It is fantastic to see that two great organisation’s that I have such an affinity for, BUCS and Gatorade, have come together in partnership to develop elite student sport and its pinnacle event.”

Karen Rothery, CEO of BUCS, said: “BUCS is delighted to be joined by Joanne and Iwan for the launch of the BUCS Gatorade Nationals. This event will host some of the finest young athletes in the country, and like Joanne and Iwan, some will go on to compete for Great Britain on the international stage. University sport has a history of playing an important role in the development of this country’s best athletes and with the help of the expertise of our new partners, Gatorade, and the world class venues in Sheffield, we are supporting our student to achieve their sporting goals better than ever before.”

Hayley Stringfellow Marketing Director Gatorade added “We are fundamentally committed to helping athletes improve their athletic performance. We do this by giving them sports nutrition products that are both backed by world class research from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Just as importantly these products have been tested by elite athletes to make sure they work for athletes when they need them the most. And on top of that we’re committed to making them taste great too so that athletes want to use them day in, day out. We’re really looking forward to working with BUCs. We want to build close links with student athletes and their coaches so we can help drive both the academic and sporting performance in UK universities and colleges.”

In addition to the title sponsorship, Gatorade will provide athletes at the BUCS Gatorade Nationals MMXIII with the G Series PRO range of nutrition products: Prime (pre activity load), Perform (sports drink) and Recover (protein post activity).

For more information on BUCS Gatorade Nationals, please visit www.bucsgatoradenationals.com.