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The University of Winchester has announced an exciting new partnership with Winchester City Swimming Club, expanding the University’s successful Elite Sport Programme to include swimming.
The collaboration strengthens the University’s position as a hub for developing high-performance athletes who aspire to combine academic excellence with elite-level sporting achievement.
It builds on the University’s strong reputation in track and field athletics and extends those opportunities to talented young swimmers from the start of the next academic year 2026.
Under the agreement, the University and the Club will work together to support swimmers on the elite programme competing at national and international level, providing an integrated package of academic study, high-performance training, and athlete support.
Both organisations will contribute expertise and resources to advance swimming in Winchester and beyond.
Student elite swimmers will have access to outstanding facilities, including the state-of-the-art 50-metre pool and training complex at Winchester Sport and Leisure Park, one of the finest aquatic venues in the South.
In return, the University will provide the club with strength and conditioning coaching, sport psychology support, and sports therapy services delivered by highly-qualified academic and professional staff, supported by students.
The University will help enhance the club’s performance environment, while the club will provide high-level training opportunities for University swimmers and act as a real-world partner for ongoing research and innovation in sport performance.
Out of the water the collaboration will create opportunities for applied learning, internships, and research that will benefit both swimmers and University students.
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Pool partners…(l-r) Mia Stares,Sport Development Officer at the University of Winchester, Liz Davies-Ward, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Winchester City Swimming Club Head Coach Chris White and Dr Steve Smith, Head of the University’s Elite Sport Programme
Liz Davies-Ward, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Winchester, said: “This partnership represents an important step forward for both the University and the local sports community. By combining our academic expertise with the outstanding coaching infrastructure at Winchester City Swimming Club, we are creating an environment where talented athletes can thrive both in and out of the pool.”
Dr Steve Smith, Head of the University’s Elite Sport Programme and Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching and Psychology, added: “Expanding the Elite Sport Programme to include swimming is a natural evolution for us. Our goal is to make Winchester a destination for student-athletes who want to pursue excellence in sport while achieving an outstanding degree. This partnership allows us to provide the same level of performance support that has made our athletics programme so successful.”
Sue Falconer, Winchester City Swimming Club Chair of Board of Trustees, said: “We’re delighted to formalise our relationship with the University of Winchester. This partnership strengthens the performance pathway for swimmers in the city and offers our athletes access to world-class sport science and university-level facilities.”
David Smith, CEO of Winchester City Swimming Club, added: “This collaboration allows us to build something truly special for swimming in Winchester. Working alongside the University, we can help talented athletes achieve their full potential both in the pool and academically. It’s an exciting step forward for performance sport in our city.”
The partnership forms part of the University’s commitment to developing high-performance sport in Winchester, offering pathways that help athletes reach the top of their sport while preparing for careers beyond competition.
Visit Swimming - University of Winchester to find out more about the University of Winchester's Elite Swimming Programme.
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The state-of-the-art 50-metre pool and training complex at Winchester Sport and Leisure Park
Pictured top: Liz Davies-Ward, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Winchester and Sue Falconer, Winchester City Swimming Club Chair of Board of Trustees shake hands on the new partnership
Photos by Dominic Parkes Photography
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