THE UNIVERSITY of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD) BSc Sport & Exercise Therapy students were once again proud to partner with Ironman Wales for its 2025 campaign.
Over the race weekend, second-year students and recent graduates provided soft tissue massage treatments to competing athletes during registration, helping them prepare and recover ahead of the world-renowned event in Tenby. This hands-on involvement gave students invaluable experience in real-world, high-performance sporting environments.
Siân Bowen, Sport & Exercise Therapy Lecturer at UWTSD, said: “Opportunities like Ironman Wales gave our students the chance to put their learning into practice in a fast-paced, professional setting.
“They gained direct experience working with elite athletes while also developing the confidence and skills they will carry into their future careers.”
Students themselves reflected on the impact of the opportunity.
Sam Holland said: “It was a great experience and inspirational working at such a prestigious event and seeing athletes from all over the world come to compete.”
Finley Jones added: “It was a rewarding experience as these were inspiring athletes pushing their bodies to the limits. It was a privilege to work on them and listen to their stories.”
Cynyr Llewellyn-Jones said: “It was very eye-opening seeing all the different types of athletes from across Europe, and noticing how their bodies reacted differently to soft tissue release.”
Following this exciting experience, students are looking forward to restarting the new term and gaining further hands-on experience at the soft tissue therapy clinic operating on campus, where they will continue to refine their skills and support a wide range of clients.
