This month, we’re “Reclaiming the Narrative” and shining a spotlight on some of our incredible Black Brunel sports alumni. Discover the remarkable achievements of Brunel’s Black students over the years and be inspired by their stories of success and perseverance.
Perri Shakes-Drayton (Sport Sciences 2011)
Perri Shakes-Drayton, a distinguished athlete specializing in the 400m hurdles, has made significant strides in her career. She clinched double gold at the 2013 European Indoor Championships, triumphing in both the 400m and the 4x400m relay. Her prowess was further demonstrated when she became the 2012 World Indoor Champion in the 4x400m relay. Additionally, Shakes-Drayton secured double bronze at the 2010 European Championships, excelling in the 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay.
Abi Oyepitan (Politics and Sociology 2001)
Abi Oyepitan, a prominent sprint athlete, has achieved remarkable success throughout her career. She claimed victory in the 100m at the 2001 Summer Universiade and secured a bronze medal with the 4x100m relay team at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Oyepitan emerged as one of Britain’s top female sprinters, becoming the first British woman to reach an Olympic final in a sprint event since Kathy Cook. Her impressive performances continued at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, where she won a silver medal in the 200m and anchored the 4x100m relay team to a gold medal victory.
Toby Olubi (Economics 2008)
Toby Olubi, a dedicated British bobsledder, proudly represented Team GB in the four-man event at the 2018 Winter Olympics held in PyeongChang. His participation in this prestigious competition highlighted his commitment and skill in the sport of bobsledding.
Audley Harrison MBE (Sport Sciences and Leisure Management 1999)
Audley Harrison is a professional British boxer from Harlesden who fights in the heavyweight division. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, he became the first British fighter to win an Olympic gold medal in the superheavyweight division. After his medal win, Harrison was awarded an MBE. He briefly retired in 2013 but rescinded his decision shortly afterwards.
Abi Ekoku (Sport Sciences & Geography 1990)
Abi Ekoku is a former Rugby League player and manager, and a former GB athlete. He managed the GB national rugby league team and as CEO at Bradford Bulls, saw his team win the Superleague, Challenge Cup and World Club Championship. He spent six years as a professional rugby league player with Bradford Bulls, Halifax and London Crusaders. Prior to this, he represented Great Britain and England at the Commonwealth Games, European Athletics Championships, and was AAA’s National Champion in the Discus in 1992. He was also UK Champion in the early the early 1990s.
Abo Eisa (Biomedical Sciences, Immunology 2018)
Abo Eisa is a professional footballer who plays for Shrewsbury Town as a winger. Abo signed for Wealdstone in July 2017 where he played 24 league games, scoring 14 goals. Abo turned professional in January 2018 with Shrewsbury Town, scoring on his first start in the EFL in April 2018 in a 1−1 draw against Bury.
Montell Douglas (Sport Sciences 2008)
Montell Douglas is predominantly known as a British sprinter - she was a Gold medallist in the 4x100m relay event at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, has represented Team GB at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - competing in both the 100m and 4x100m relay - and is the former British record holder for the 100m. In 2016 she switched to bobsleigh, before making her competitive debut in mid-2017. Montell is the first British woman ever to be selected for the Summer and Winter Olympics in different sports. After a top-10 finish on her bobsleigh World Cup debut, Montell finished 7th at an event in St Moritz, before securing a Europa Cup victory shortly after. That success, just two weeks after making her debut in the sport, gave Britain its first Europa Cup gold in seven years. Montell was then selected as the reserve for the women's bobsleigh squad for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
Eni Aluko (LLB Law 2008)
Eni Aluko is an international football star and at heart of the growth of women’s football in England. She has made 102 appearances for the England national team from 2004 - 2016, competing in three FIFA Women's World Cups - China (2007), Germany (2011) and Canada (2015) - as well as the 2009 and 2013 UEFA Women's Euro. Eni also represented Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. From 2012 - 2018, Eni played for Chelsea in the FA Women's Premier League before signing with Italian champions, Juventus in 2018. Eni is a sports lawyer and Associate Consultant for law practice, Slaughter and May, and is the Founder of Crescenda Sport - a sports career consultancy and mentoring service set up in 2015 for young students, university students, postgraduates and individuals of varying backgrounds. Most recently, Eni has been on our TV screens as a pundit for the World Cup 2018.
Hope Powell (Sport Science & History 1990)
Hope Patricia Powell, CBE is the Women’s Technical Director at Birmingham City and former English international footballer and women's first-team manager of Brighton & Hove Albion. She was the coach of the England women's national football team and the Great Britain women's Olympic football team until August 2013. As a player, Powell won 66 caps for England, mainly as an attacking midfielder, scoring 35 goals. She made her England debut at the age of 16 and went on to play in the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, England's first World Cup appearance. She was also vice-captain of her country. At club level Powell played in four FA Women's Cup finals and captained Croydon to a League and Cup double in 1996.
Phillps Idowu (Sport Science)
Phillips Olaosebikan Idowu, is a British athlete who specialised in the triple jump and was active at elite level between 2000 and 2014. He is a former World Outdoor and Indoor, European Outdoor and Indoor, and Commonwealth triple jump champion. He was also a silver medallist at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Idowu is a member of the London-based Belgrave Harriers athletics club and has been for much of his career.
Anita Asante (Politics and English 2006, MRes (2008) and PhD
Anita Amma Ankyewah Asante is an English football coach and former player who is the first-team coach at Bristol City. A defender or midfielder, she won 71 caps for the English national team and was selected in the Great Britain squad for the 2012 London Olympics. At club level, Asante has played for English clubs Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa, whilst also having played for Saint Louis Athletica, Chicago Red Stars, Washington Freedom and Sky Blue FC of the American Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). She also spent six seasons playing in Sweden, two with Göteborg and then four with FC Rosengård.
Emma Aina (Medical Biology 2007)
She is a former GB sprinter who competed in the 4 x 100m rely at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. She also competed at the European Championships, World Championships and Commonwealth Games, winning a silver medal in 4x 100m relays at the European Championships in 2006 and the Commonwealth Games in 2006.
Marcia Richardson (Sport Science 1994)
She is a former sprinter who competed in 100m and 4 x 100m relay at the 1996 Olympics, and in the 100m and 4 x 100m relay at the Sydney Olympic in 2000 alongside fellow Brunel alumna, Shani Anderson. She also competed at four World Championships. In 1998, she represented England at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in the 100m and 200m and won a bronze medal in 4 x 100m relay.