University News Last updated 22 August 2022
A Birmingham City University lecturer and physiotherapist helped Team England achieve a double medal win in basketball at this year’s Commonwealth Games.
Peter Thain, Associate Professor in Sports Therapy at the University, sat courtside as the lead physiotherapist for both the men’s and women’s teams in the basketball 3x3 competition – a variation of the sport played three-a-side as opposed to the more common five-a-side game
Peter, who is also course leader for the University’s sports therapy degree, witnessed the men’s and women’s teams pick up gold and silver respectively in the 3x3 competition, which made its debut at the 2022 Games.
The men’s team beat Australia in overtime to clinch gold while the women’s team took silver after narrowly losing out to Canada. Both teams trained at the University’s City South Sports Hall and Doug Ellis Sports Centre ahead of their final matches.
Reflecting on their successes, Peter said:
Peter's association with basketball stretches back several years. He is a clinician with the sport’s national association, Basketball England, and was lead therapist with the men’s basketball team for the more familiar five-a-side version played at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at Australia’s Gold Coast.
Peter is also currently the lead therapist with the Great Britain women’s basketball team, supporting them at major tournaments such as EuroBasket 2019 and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2020, before taking up his role with Team England ahead of this year’s Commonwealth Games.
He added: “It was an absolute honour and privilege to work with England’s national basketball teams at this year’s Commonwealth Games. I’m proud to have played a part in their success and it’s great that I can share my experience of working with elite athletes with our sports therapy students.
Peter was joined at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games by colleagues and students from across the University. Past and present students from the University's School of Jewellery designed the official medals while graduates from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire performed at both the opening and closing ceremonies. Students and staff members also volunteered in a variety of roles throughout the 12-day event.