Milan students step in for DMU runners to save Leicester Varsity fixture
The Leicester and Milan cross country competitors.
A group of students from Milan stepped in at the very last minute to ensure a Leicester Varsity cross country race could still go ahead as planned.
The University of Leicester cross country team were all set to take on their De Montfort University counterparts, when the message came through that DMU were unable to field a full team of runners.
By a stroke of luck, some students from the University of Milan were at the race venue – the University of Leicester’s Stoughton Road playing fields – and didn’t need to be asked twice to fill in for DMU.
So, instead of an inter-city match up, spectators were treated to a Leicester v Milan race, on the opening day of Varsity fixtures – Wednesday 18 March.
Leicester ran out victors, however the result won’t count towards their Varsity points total.
Lewis Jones, Sports Experience Manager at the University of Leicester Students’ Union, said: “This was a brilliant example of how sport can adapt in the moment and bring people together. To see both groups make the most of the situation and create a competitive, positive event says a lot about the spirit of Varsity.”
The annual Varsity challenge between Leicester and DMU sees more than 80 teams from both universities compete in 20 sports across five days.
The competition closes on Sunday 22 March, when Leicester will be hoping to retain the Varsity title and rack up their 24th win in the competition.