The Varsity Athletics event, which kicked off way back in 1864, still stands as a proud tradition of sporting achievement. This year’s meet at Wilberforce Road Sports Ground in Cambridge got an extra boost when World Athletics honoured both the Cambridge University Athletic Club (CUAC) and the Varsity Match by awarding them two Heritage Plaques.
Established in 1857, CUAC is one of the world’s oldest athletics clubs. It helped shape how modern athletics is run today by influencing rules and competition formats. “Cambridge University Athletic Club is among a small group of pioneering organisations that helped shape modern athletics,” said World Athletics in their announcement.
To celebrate this special moment, Jon Ridgeon, who’s the CEO of World Athletics and also a Cambridge graduate from Magdalene College, came back to his university to hand over the plaques during the Varsity weekend.
The competition lived up to its historic legacy with intense but friendly contests, where Cambridge took home wins in:
Men’s Blues Para Team Men’s 2nds Women’s 2nds
In a chat with Varsity newspaper before the event, CUAC President Jess Poon talked about how the club has grown over time and why these Varsity Matches matter so much. She pointed out how the club has opened up more for everyone by adding women’s and para-athletics events and praised the strong sense of tradition and teamwork that still shines through.
This celebration fits well with the University’s goal to get people involved in sports and physical activity at every level. Sport really helps students’ mental health, builds leadership skills, improves communication abilities, and even boosts job prospects.
Some key programmes across campus include:
Club Support Programme: Designed to help sports clubs like CUAC offer top-notch training and competitions while growing sustainably. University of Cambridge Athlete Performance Programme (UCAPP): Gives high-level athletes tailored support so they can succeed both on track and academically. Active Students Initiative: Encourages all students to join in sports or activities no matter their skill level, with projects like ‘Give it a Go’ making it easier for everyone to stay active for life.
Bhaskar Vira, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Chair of the Sports Committee, shared why sport matters here: “Involvement in physical activity and sports provides a much-needed release from the intense pressures that are associated with life at Cambridge. I firmly believe that these are inherently complementary pursuits, allowing participants to achieve a balance between their work commitments and their own personal wellbeing.”
This year marked not just milestones-the 150th Men’s match, 50th Women’s match, plus only the 2nd Para Athletics match-but also looked ahead to an exciting future focused on inclusion, excellence, and wellbeing throughout University sport.
As Cambridge moves forward building on this rich history, it calls on alumni and friends to pitch in so these opportunities keep growing-making sure students keep benefiting from all that sport brings personally as well as academically and socially.
Find out more information on how to support sport at Cambridge.
