Callum Smith

Callum Smith (number 33) with his Great Britain teammates. Photo copyright Andrew Moss.

A student who receives a sports bursary from the University could become a world champion in Ultimate Frisbee this weekend.

Callum Smith, a mathematics student, will line up for Great Britain against USA in the final tomorrow (Saturday 14 July) of the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) 2012 World Ultimate Championships in Osaka, Japan.

Friend and teammate in Sussex’s Ultimate team (Mohawks), Richard Roberts says that Callum’s achievement is “monumental”: “His bursary has been used well and I am so delighted for the guy. He's trained immensely hard this year and thoroughly deserves his place in the final.”

Callum and his Great Britain teammates have beaten Australia, Austria, Columbia, Finland, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Sweden to reach the final of the contest, which has seen 22 countries compete to be crowned champions.

The final takes place at 3pm (7am UK time) and can be watched live online for a fee of $5.

Callum also competed for Great Britain at the 2011 Ultimate Frisbee World Beach Championships and represented the Brighton Ultimate club at the European Club Championships. 

He is joined in the Great Britain team by former Sussex student and bursary recipient Richard Harris.

The sports bursaries are offered annually to Sussex sports men and women of an international or national standard and are supported by former students through the Sussex Fund, managed by the Development and Alumni Relations Office. 

The support package – provided by the University’s sports service (Sussexsport) and the Students’ Union – includes free use of the University’s sports facilities; fitness testing and programming; regular monitoring sessions; physiotherapy/sports massage; a parking permit; a financial package; and some academic flexibility.