Leeds Swimming Performance Centre

Find out about swimming at the Swim England Performance Centre in Leeds, based at the University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University, and City of Leeds Swimming Club.

Swimming at the University of Leeds

The University of Leeds is a prestigious Russell Group University offering an exceptional student experience.

Why the University of Leeds?

Be part of a prestigious Russell Group university where you’ll gain invaluable skills. We’re top 100 in the QS World University Rankings 2019.

Fantastic Student Experience

Ranked within the top 10 in the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2018, at Leeds you’ll have an exceptional student experience.

Leeds is surrounded by beautiful countryside with campus only a ten minute walk from the bustling city centre. Here you’ll have access to hundreds of bars and restaurants, live music venues, theatres, and some of the best shopping in the UK. Leeds is home to several major sports teams and is a gateway to some of the finest cycling, walking and climbing in the UK.

Leeds University Union is here to make sure you love your time at Leeds and is situated right at the heart of our campus providing you everything you need for student life.

LUU was the first students’ union in the country to win the Gold Students’ Union Evaluation Initiative award twice!

State-of-the-art sports facilities

A recent £520m has been invested into transforming the campus, including state-of-the-art sport and wellbeing facilities, a 25m eight lane pool, performance strength and conditioning room and one of the largest fitness suites of any UK university.

Dual career focus

We’re committed to supporting students with a dual career in elite sport and academics. A number of alumni have had successful careers in professional sport or athletics including Olympic triathlon medallists Alistair and Jonny Brownlee.

Swimming at Leeds Beckett University

Together, we nurture abilities that will shape your future. We provide an inspirational teaching and learning environment that will prepare you for work and for life. Join us.

Why Leeds Beckett?

With a population of 28,000 students and 3,200 staff, we play a vital role in transforming the lives and prospects of thousands of individuals and organisations every year.

Creating inspirational teaching and learning environments for our students and staff is key to this.

The University has achieved Silver Status in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for its high-quality teaching, and over the next five years we will be investing £200 million into campus developments, focusing on sport and the creative industries.

This includes the development of a £45m world-class sports, teaching and research facility, which will provide outstanding sports science and performance facilities for elite athletes.

Sports scholarships

Our Carnegie Sports Scholarships Scheme provides technical, pastoral and financial support to help our performance students develop their sporting performance alongside their studies.

Recent alumni include:

• James Denny (Diving) 2010 Commonwealth Games Silver medallist in the 10m Platform Synchro with Tom Daley
• Laura Weightman (Athletics) 2014 Commonwealth Silver medallist and European Bronze medallist and 2012 Olympic 1500m finalist.
• Samantha Quek (Hockey) Olympic Gold Medallist.
• Mick Hill, a four-time former Olympian, manages sports performance programmes at the University including the Sport Scholarship Programme.

Student life

Our location is a fantastic asset for us. Our City Campus is right in the heart of Leeds, just a few minutes from the varied bars, shops and entertainment the city has to offer.

And just three miles away, Headingley Campus offers a soothing, green contrast. Set in 100 acres of parkland, you’ll be able to explore the vibrant suburb of Headingley with an eclectic mix of shops, bars and restaurants.

Visit our web site to take a virtual tour, find a course or book an open day to find out why we are one of the most popular universities in the UK.

Leeds Performance Programme

Providing a high performance environment to help you train and achieve in swimming.

Leeds is one of the premier performance programmes in the country

The programme is a successful collaboration between Leeds City Council and City of Leeds Swimming Club, producing 24 Olympians over eight Olympiads and a number of junior international athletes every year who contribute to Great Britain’s medal successes.

Athletes train at the John Charles Centre for Sport (JCCS), which provides both long and short course training, strength and conditioning areas and physiotherapy services. The centre is located just four miles (a 15 minute drive) from both University campuses.

Student athletes can train at JCCS as well as taking part in dedicated sessions at the university pools if there are clashes with academic commitments and training.

Swimming scholarships

Leeds Performance Centre partners are able to provide a high performance environment for students who wish to pursue a swimming career alongside their degree.

The swimming scholarship support package, available at both the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University, will ensure that successful applicants have the best chance of success both in their swimming and their studies.

Successful applicants will receive:

• a bespoke financial offer
• guaranteed first choice of accommodation
• subsidised competition costs, covered by City of Leeds SSC
• physiotherapy and nutrition support
• strength and conditioning support
• access to their chosen University fitness suite
• lifestyle mentor and academic liaison support
• university branded leisure kit

Head Coach Richard Denigan, leads the performance training programme. He is an Olympic level coach, part of British Swimming’s team staff at Senior and Junior levels and is also part of the Swim England coaching team.