Know any National Champions? Turns out there’s one right here on campus! We caught up with recent Gold Medalist in Taekwondo, Sheena Au-Yeung, to chat about her life as a Southampton student.
This is one student you do not want to mess with!
Name three things you couldn’t live without.
Can’t live without Taekwondo at least a couple of times a day, peanut butter sandwiches to fuel my training, and sports massages to fix all my aches and pains.
What advice would you give a new student at Southampton University?
Go to the bunfight and try out a new sport or society, you will be able to meet new friends doing things you enjoy.
What is your favourite club in Southampton?
I have been to The Edge a few times but I don’t really get the chance to go clubbing nowadays as I spend most of my time training at my favourite sport club – The Southampton University Taekwondo Club!
How did you manage to balance your studies and taekwondo?
I was sponsored by the University of Southampton Sport Bursary Scheme for five years during my Masters and PhD, which made me one of the longest standing bursary athletes. The amazing Sports and Wellbeing staff such as Chris Szedlak and Sarah Nightingale were amazing and gave me tons of support, one of those things they help me with was time management, and making sure I get all my training sessions in and not slacking off my studies at the same time.
What is your favourite fancy dress theme and why?
I’m not one for dressing up but I do like onesie parties as they require minimal effort. I have a crocodile onesie and a teddy onesie.
If you could start your time in Southampton again, would you do anything differently?
I loved my time in Southampton and I wouldn’t do it any differently, I was here for a total of 8 years completing my undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Psychology. I have worked hard in my sport as well as in academia, achieving first class honours in my Bachelors degree and a Distinction in my Masters, and now I’m on my way to finishing my PhD.
Most comical memory in Southampton?
Doing the naked bike ride around Southampton!
If you had to pick one, what would be your proudest moment?
Winning the National Champion title at the British Taekwondo National Championships in Senior Female Advanced -46kg category on the 20th September 2014.
Sheena Au-Yeung (left) and Hannah Johnson, ex-bursary athlete at Southampton University (right). Both seen wearing their gold medals in heavy weight categories!
Know any other stars on campus? Let us know in the comments below!
