Olympic gold medallists and Ashes heroes faced one of their toughest challenges yet – taking on Newcastle University students on their home turf.

To mark the launch of the new partnership between leading sportswear brand adidas and Newcastle University, adidas  assembled an elite team of athletes including: Ashes wining cricketer Stuart Broad, Olympic Gold medallist rower Helen Glover, Team GB weightlifter Zoe Smith, Durham cricketing legend Steve Harmison and British Lions star Christian Wade.

They played dodgeball against teams of students in the heart of the University’s city centre campus. Olympic champion hepathlete Jessica Ennis- Hill coached the teams from the side lines.

They headed to Newcastle to celebrate the new partnership, a first for the UK, designed to give two gifted sporting students scholarships and adidas kit. It also provides funding to improve coaching and support the student Athletics Union.

Katie Rimmer, Athletics Union Officer said of the new partnership: “We’re well-known for being a good sporting university and our students held their own against this formidable opposition."

Professor Charles Harvey, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Humanities and Social Sciences at Newcastle University, said: “We were absolutely delighted to welcome such successful sports stars to our campus and I think this was a great way to mark the start of our partnership with adidas.

“Newcastle University is good at sport and the fact we have been in the top 10 of the British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) league for the past two years, demonstrates this. The partnership means we can build on this and continue to attract the most gifted and talented students.”

Nick Craggs, adidas’ Brand Director, said: “We were excited to bring some of adidas’ top athletes to Newcastle University and enable students to take part in a fun and inclusive sporting event against their sporting heroes. An event like this had never happened at Newcastle University before, so we are delighted we can help enhance students’ experience on campus in a positive and impactful way.”

adidas is the preferred kit provider for Team Newcastle, the University’s sports clubs. The partnership has also created part-time job opportunities for students and also gives staff and students special offers on merchandise.

published on: 2 October 2013