Latest news with #Loughborough
BBC News
14 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Peaty has 'unfinished business', says coach Main
Three-time Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty was lured back to the pool by "unfinished business", says new coach Jamie 30-year-old had previously admitted that he was not convinced he would carry on after an emotionally and physically draining silver-medal finish in the 100m breaststroke at the Paris Games last had dealt with mental health issues in the years leading up to the 2024 Olympics, where he aimed to claim a third consecutive gold medal in the event despite catching Covid-19 in the week leading up to the race, but was just 0.02 seconds short of glory. "When we had the conversation at the back end of last year about him potentially coming in to Repton, he felt like there was some unfinished business," Main told BBC Radio Derby."But he actually loves the sport and I think that has come though in a lot of what he has said since he announced that he was getting back in the pool."In April, Peaty said he wanted to set an example for his children "to not give up" after the disappointment in the French capital. The Paris Olympics was the last major event he worked with long-time coach Mel Marshall, who moved to Australia to further her Marshall leaving Loughborough Performance Centre, where she was Aquatic GB's lead coach, Peaty decided to relocate to his former training base at Repton School in was there that he previously worked with Marshall leading up to the 2016 Olympics in Rio where he claimed his first Olympic has now returned to the rural Derbyshire village to work with Main, who left his role as Aquatics GB national coach at the Bath Performance Centre to become Repton's director of move coincided with his omission from the group of 57 elite British swimmers that will be supported by Aquatics GB throughout the multiple world champion and world record holder at the school has given its highly-regarded programme - which was represented by swimmers at the Olympic and Paralympic Games last year - a significant boost."With Adam Peaty coming in, that is attracting interest from other senior swimmers, which the school is keen to support because it helps other swimmers, the young talent we have in the programme who rub shoulders with those experienced heads," Main said.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
BBC Radio 5 Live's Naga Munchetty and Jeanette Kwakye to be joined by sporting legends for special live programme championing women in sport
This summer, women's sport takes centre stage and BBC Radio 5 Live is marking the moment with a special programme called Names Will Be Made LIVE. Hosted by mid-morning presenter Naga Munchetty and former British sprinting champion turned weekend breakfast show presenter Jeanette Kwakye, the special will air on BBC 5 Live on Monday 23 June, from 11am to 2pm. Broadcasting live from Loughborough University, the home of the new Women in Sport Research and Innovation Hub, the programme will bring together more than 30 elite athletes, rising stars, and leading experts for an inspiring, in-depth exploration of women's sport. From the rapid growth of audiences to the barriers still facing female athletes, Names Will Be Made LIVE will dive into crucial conversations around access, participation, funding, and women's health in sport. The impressive line-up of guests include: Dame Katherine Grainger, Olympic rowing legend and new chair of the British Olympic Association, whose leadership has transformed British elite sport. Heather Knight OBE, former England cricket captain and a trailblazer on and off the pitch. Sammi Kinghorn MBE - Paralympic gold medallist and record-breaking wheelchair racer with a remarkable story of resilience. Sally Gunnell OBE - Olympic champion and the only female British athlete to hold Olympic, World, European, and Commonwealth titles simultaneously. Maggie Alphonsi MBE - World Cup-winning rugby star, commentator, and powerful voice for equality in sport. Alice Dearing – a history-making Team GB marathon swimmer who has championed diversity in her sport. Rebecca Welch - former professional football referee and first female to referee a Premier League match. The audience will also hear from the next generation of sporting talent, and the coaches, scientists, and mentors helping to shape their futures. Heidi Dawson, Controller of BBC Radio 5 Live, said: 'At 5 Live, we're passionate about giving women's sport the platform it deserves. 'Names Will Be Made LIVE' is a chance to amplify the voices driving change, challenging outdated thinking, and inspiring the next generation. This event reflects our ongoing commitment to championing brilliant stories and the people behind them.' The event forms part of the BBC's Names Will Be Made campaign which spotlights female athletes and brings together all BBC Sport's live coverage and reporting, and signposts content across the BBC for audiences to enjoy, all putting women's sport front and centre. Over the next few months BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra will broadcast live commentary from a host of this summer's big events, including Euro 2025, the Women's Rugby World Cup, Wimbledon, The Hundred, England Cricket internationals, World Athletics Championships and the Women's Open golf. Presenters Rachel Burden and Jeanette Kwakye will also be live in Switzerland for the start of the Euro's and the England and Wales match respectively. Listen in to Names Will Be Made LIVE on Monday 23 June from 11am to 2pm on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds. Read more: Women's Sport takes centre stage across the BBC in summer 2025 MCL Follow for more
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hydrogen lift-off: Intelligent Energy secures £17m programme to scale its UK-developed aviation fuel cell tech
UK Government-backed funding will fast-track development of IE-FLIGHT – Intelligent Energy's fuel cell system for commercial aviation New system set to enter service in Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) applications by the end of this decade and in regional aircraft in the 2030s Switching to fuel cells in suitable aviation applications could cut CO₂ emissions by up to 25.6 million tonnes annually and generate up to 1,600 new jobs Funding award recognises Intelligent Energy's proprietary fuel cell technology, with advantages in thermal management and power density LOUGHBOROUGH, England, June 17, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intelligent Energy (IE), one of the UK's leading hydrogen fuel cell manufacturers, has secured a £17 million programme to fast-track development of a new zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell system that could be powering commercial aircraft within the decade. The award is from the ATI Programme, a partnership between the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), the Department for Business & Trade and Innovate UK. It will support Project HEIGHTS – a three-year drive to develop IE's current 300kW modular aviation fuel cell platform for use in next-generation aircraft. Initial applications include Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft and short-range commuter planes. IE's new fuel cell system – IE-FLIGHT™ 300 – is expected to enter early service in Part 23 aircraft (with up to 19 seats) by the end of the decade, with scale-up plans targeting larger (Part 25) regional aircraft in the 2030s. The project addresses the key challenge with traditional fuel cell systems – how to keep the fuel cells at the correct operating temperature without introducing significant aircraft drag from cooling systems. In aviation particularly, minimising the heat exchanger size is critical to reduce mass and drag, and to optimise overall efficiency. IE's patented direct water-injection technology uses air-cooled condensers with a smaller frontal area than conventional liquid glycol radiators. In Project HEIGHTS, IE will further develop this novel cooling method to achieve a significant reduction in heat exchanger size. The investment comes as aviation faces rising pressure to cut emissions. Batteries remain constrained by weight and range, while hydrogen-electric propulsion is gaining traction as a cleaner, scalable alternative. The project marks a major step forward for Intelligent Energy, and its fuel cell technology offers significant environmental and economic benefits to the aviation sector. A switch to fuel cell systems across eVTOL, sub-regional and regional aircraft, as well as Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) on larger aircraft, could reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 25.6 million tonnes per year. IE estimates the total market value – encompassing both sales and servicing revenue – is £19.6 billion, and scaling up production could create as many as 1,600 new jobs. "This programme is about getting hydrogen-powered aircraft in the air, and into service at scale, as quickly as possible," David Woolhouse, Intelligent Energy CEO, said. "We firmly believe that hydrogen will be the primary energy source for flight, initially for smaller aircraft but in the longer term for everything that flies. At Intelligent Energy, we have the IP built on 24 years' experience to give us confidence that we can be the technical leader in this sector. This project supports us in making our modular system even smaller, lighter and more scalable." HEIGHTS – which stands for Hydrogen Efficient fuel cell Integrated in a High Temperature System – builds on Intelligent Energy's previous involvement in H2GEAR, a separate ATI-backed programme led by GKN Aerospace. It leverages the company's extensive aviation experience, including powering the world's first manned fuel cell flight with Boeing in 2008. The funding announcement is a significant milestone for IE's aviation division. In February, the company was named as a strategic partner in the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Hydrogen Challenge programme. IE is also expanding its UK operations. In addition to its manufacturing base in Loughborough, the company is enhancing its test and validation capabilities with a new £7.1 million fuel cell test centre opening this summer in Northamptonshire. "We are expanding at pace because the UK has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to consolidate its global lead in hydrogen aviation and build a strong domestic manufacturing capability," said Woolhouse. "The hydrogen economy for aviation will be a major industrial sector, and this support from ATI helps to keep our technology here in the UK. For investors focused on green technology and mobility applications, HEIGHTS reinforces our unique value – clear IP differentiation, proximity to market, and a regulatory tailwind that's only getting stronger." Jacqueline Castle, Chief Technology Officer at the Aerospace Technology Institute said: "Hydrogen as a fuel source is an essential part of the ATI's technology roadmaps for future power and propulsion systems. We are delighted to be supporting Intelligent Energy's HEIGHTS programme, which builds upon its prior expertise in fuel cell development to encompass novel means of addressing thermal management challenges associated with aircraft integration. "The ATI's FlyZero project identified the need for high-temperature fuel cell systems and world-class expertise on thermal management within the UK. This project brings the two together to develop what we expect to be a compelling, power dense solution for zero-carbon flight." ENDS Images and video footage View and download a selection of high-resolution, copyright-free images and video footage that can be used for editorial purposes here: Download Images About Intelligent Energy Limited Intelligent Energy is a leader in the development and manufacture of cutting-edge hydrogen fuel cells that overcome the limitations of conventional battery-powered systems. Established in 2001, the privately-owned company, which has 600 patents in place, has been innovating for more than two decades in the automotive, aerospace, power generation, telecoms, materials handling and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sectors. Headquartered in Loughborough UK, Intelligent Energy has a global reach, with activities spanning key markets in the UK, US, China, South Korea, and Japan. Discover more at Intelligent Energy View source version on Contacts Media Enquiries Hannah PriggHead of PR, GroupWhistleT: +44 (0)7860 864533E: Investor Enquiries E: investors@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
River footbridge reopened after 'essential' work
A footbridge over a river on the border of Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire has reopened after maintenance Zouch footbridge on the River Soar, near Loughborough, was shut at short notice in September last year after an inspection found "significant" structural defects.A diversion route was set up which ran 1.5 miles (2.4km) along Main Street in the village and used other existing public footpaths.A spokesperson for the Environment Agency, who own the bridge, apologised for the inconvenience caused but said the work was essential for public safety. The agency also said a further closure may happen in July "for a few days" for electrical it said as much notice as possible of this would be given.
New York Post
6 days ago
- Science
- New York Post
World's smallest violin believed to have been created by scientists
British physicists claim they've created the 'world's smallest violin' — and, by the looks of it, they could take a bow for their masterpiece invention. The brainy bunch at Loughborough University used nanotechnology to build the teeny instrument, which is no bigger than a speck of dust and can only be seen with a microscope. Made of platinum, the mini-instrument measures 35 microns, one-millionth of a meter long, and 13 microns wide. Loughborough explained on its website that it's tiny enough to fit within the width of a human's hair. The scientists created the violin, which is just a microscopic image and isn't playable, as a test of the school's new nanolithography system, which allows them to build and study structures at the nanoscale. The project references the expression 'Can you hear the world's smallest violin playing just for you?' which pokes fun at people being overly dramatic. The violin, which cannot be played but is only an image, measures 35 microns, or one millionth of a meter long. Loughborough University 'Though creating the world's smallest violin may seem like fun and games, a lot of what we've learned in the process has actually laid the groundwork for the research we're now undertaking,' Kelly Morrison, professor of experimental physics at the university, said on its website. 'Our nanolithography system allows us to design experiments that probe materials in different ways – using light, magnetism, or electricity – and observe their responses. Once we understand how materials behave, we can start applying that knowledge to develop new technologies.' The violin was made by a NanoFrazor, a nano-sculpting machine that uses a technique where a heated, needle-like tip writes patterns. First, a chip was coated with a gel-like material and then placed under the machine, effectively burning the violin pattern into the surface. A chip contains the image of the violin. Loughborough University After the pattern was etched, the underlayer of the gel dissolved, and a violin-shaped hole remained. A thin layer of platinum was then inserted into the chip, which was then rinsed with acetone to remove any remaining particles. The prototype took three hours to create. However, the team's final version took several months. 'Depending on how you engage with technology, there are people who are always looking to have something that runs faster, better, more efficient,' Morrison said in a YouTube video. 'That requires … finding a way to scale down.'
