Andy Devaney
Leeds Beckett University has never been shy about producing sporting greatness. Now, after nearly a century of shaping Olympians, boundary-breakers and national heroes, the institution is finally giving its sporting alumni a permanent home in history.
This week it unveils the first-ever Leeds Beckett University Sport Hall of Fame, a tribute to 37 former students whose impact reaches far beyond campus corridors.
If you’ve ever doubted the North’s ability to turn raw talent into world-class success, take a quick roll call of the inductees: Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee OBE, rugby league warrior Kevin Sinfield OBE, and Emily Campbell, the first British woman to win an Olympic weightlifting medal. And that’s just for starters.
A Legacy Carved Through Decades of Grit
Born back in 1933 as Carnegie College, Leeds Beckett University has long been a proving ground for those who prefer sweat over shortcuts. This Hall of Fame doesn’t just celebrate sporting medals—it salutes resilience, leadership, and the kind of stubborn determination Northern England has always done best.
The line-up reads like a who’s who of sporting pioneers. Sir Walter Winterbottom CBE, the first manager of the England men’s football team. Sir Ian McGeechan OBE, rugby union tactician and Lions icon. Dee Caffari MBE, the first woman to sail solo and non-stop around the world—both ways. These aren’t just athletes; they’re people who dragged their sports forward.
The Big Night at Carnegie School of Sport
The Hall of Fame will be unveiled at a launch event hosted by BBC Sport’s Tanya Arnold at the university’s flagship Carnegie School of Sport. Many of the inductees will return to the very place where their stories began—before the medals, before the world titles, before their names were chanted by thousands.
| Name | Sport / Discipline | Honour |
|---|---|---|
| Ron Pickering | Athletics | OBE |
| Wilf Paish | Athletics | MBE |
| Mick Hill | Athletics — Javelin | — |
| Laura Weightman | Athletics — Middle Distance | — |
| Tom Bosworth | Athletics — Race Walking | MBE |
| Iain Dyer | Cycling | — |
| Andy Banks | Diving | MBE |
| Yona Knight-Wisdom | Diving | — |
| Sir Walter Winterbottom | Football | CBE |
| Bill Slater | Football | CBE |
| Emma Lipman | Football | — |
| Julie Nelson | Football | BEM |
| Graham Potter | Football | — |
| Gemma Bonner | Football | — |
| Paul Heckingbottom | Football | — |
| Jade Moore | Football | — |
| Howard Wells | Football | OBE |
| Claire O’Hara | Freestyle Kayaking, Squirt Boating | MBE |
| Rebecca Foster | Heptathlete & Deaflympics Coach | MBE |
| Natalie Panagarry | Netball | — |
| Dr Bob Price | Paralympic Multi-sport | OBE |
| Tom Williams | Parkrun / Community Sport | — |
| Jamie Jones-Buchanan | Rugby League | MBE |
| Lois Forsell | Rugby League | — |
| Jimmy Keinhorst | Rugby League | — |
| Kevin Sinfield | Rugby League | CBE |
| Jamie Peacock | Rugby League | MBE |
| Tom Briscoe | Rugby League | — |
| Sir Ian McGeechan | Rugby Union | OBE |
| John Gallagher | Rugby Union | — |
| Emily Scarratt | Rugby Union | — |
| Dee Caffari | Sailing | MBE |
| Cyril Villiers | Table Tennis | MBE |
| Alistair Brownlee | Triathlon | OBE |
| Georgia Taylor-Brown | Triathlon | MBE |
| Alex Yee | Triathlon | MBE |
| Emily Campbell | Weightlifting | — |
Their names will now take pride of place on the Leeds Beckett Sport Hall of Fame honours board, alongside a curated display of memorabilia that tells each story in sweat, sacrifice and silverware.
The Heart of Sporting Education
Speaking ahead of the event, Peter Mackreth, Dean of Carnegie School of Sport and Chair of the LBU Sport Hall of Fame Sub-Committee, said: “Leeds Beckett University has a proud and enduring legacy of supporting the development of individuals who go on to shape the future of sport.
The Hall of Fame celebrates the achievements of our alumni and reflects the university’s commitment to excellence in sport education, research, and leadership. We’re delighted to welcome them back to campus and hope their stories will inspire the next generation to strive for success, whatever form that takes.”
For decades, Leeds Beckett University has pumped expertise into British sport—elite training, pioneering sports science, coaching innovation—the lot. Its alumni have stood on Olympic podiums, lifted trophies under pressure, led national teams and even reshaped how sport is delivered around the world.
This Hall of Fame isn’t nostalgia—it’s proof the place still knows how to shape people who get things done.
Open to the Public – A Living Legacy
Once the confetti settles, the Hall of Fame will become a permanent public exhibition at the Carnegie School of Sport, giving future students—and curious fans—a glimpse of greatness up close. For those unable to see it in person, there’s also a full digital Hall of Fame available online at:
https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/halloffame
If sport is about legacy, Leeds Beckett University has built a fortress of it—and now it finally has the hall to match.
