Looking for more Olympic gold

12:15pm Tuesday 19th August 2008

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Richmond’s Olympians are hoping to continue their Beijing success.

On Sunday, Rebecca Romero - who used to attend St Mary’s University College - claimed a cycling gold medal in the women’s 3,000m individual pursuit at the 25th Olympic Games in Beijing, China, four years after winning a silver medal in rowing at the Athens games.

The 28-year-old, who’s mother and sister live in Twickenham, studied at St Mary’s University College, in Waldegrave Road - where a number of the British team’s middle and long distance runners are based.

And another former student Matthew Wells picked up a bronze medal in his rowing event, the men's double skulls, on Saturday.

Today, 1,500m runner Andy Baddeley - one of those who trains out of the Endurance Performance Centre at St Mary’s - was preparing for the final of his event with an outside chance of a medal.

And Mo Farah, the 25-year-old who arrived in Britain in 1993 from Somalia as a refugee, speaking barely a word of English, and who now lives and trains in Teddington, was beginning his campaign in the 5,000m.

Other St Mary’s-based runners will be running for medals later this week - Susan Scott and Stephanie Twell in the women’s 1,500m and Kate Reed and Jo Pavey in the women’s 5,000m.

But Mara Yamauchi - who has prepared for the games in Japan with support from the St Mary’s centre - has already run, finishing sixth in the women’s marathon while Pavey and Reed came 12th and 23rd in the women’s 10,000m, with Pavey running a personal best time.

Professor Dick Fisher, from the university college, who is attending the Games in China said: “What a wonderful weekend it has been.

“We are proud of all the British athletes – not least those who have a close association with St Mary’s University College.”