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In this first edition of The Full Time Whistle, Daria-Gabriela Pavel takes a look at the exciting upcoming year of sport at UCD 26/27.
Sports in UCD is back on the rise as the curtains open on the new academic year. The pitches, pool, and gyms are buzzing with students eager to socialise, get in shape, and make the most of college life. Belfield is home to over 45 sports clubs which cater to every interest and ability level, and after a year of standout performances and achievements, the bar has been set even higher for 2026/2027.
Few stories from the past year have been as powerful as UCD FC’s Harding Cup glory. In January, the club made history by claiming their fourth consecutive IUFU Harding Cup title, defeating UCC 3-2. This marks the first time since the competition’s founding in 1970 that a team achieved this feat. Whether they can do it again for a fifth consecutive time remains to be seen, but there is every reason to believe so: they have the ambition, talent, and motivation to go again.
On the track and in the field, UCD Athletics have had a year to remember. Bori Akinola defended his national title in the men’s 60m at the Athletics Ireland National Indoor Championships in March, before travelling to Birmingham this August to make his individual debut at the European Athletics Championships, winning his heat and reaching the semi-finals of the men’s 100m. Meanwhile, Nicola Tuthill, who was named UCD Sportsperson of the Year in both 2025 and 2026, has had another exceptional season, winning silver at the European U23 Championships. This month, she finished 5th in the European Championships in Birmingham. With a new academic year beginning, the club will be without a doubt hungry to bring all that energy back to Belfield.
Away from the track and pitches, UCD Snow Sports is one of the biggest and most beloved clubs on campus. Sessions at Kilternan’s slopes keep members in shape throughout the year, but it is the annual ski trip that everyone talks about. The 2027 destination has just been announced, and anticipation is already at a high. Whether you have never set foot on a slope before or you consider yourself a regular, the club prides itself on welcoming everyone.
This is just a mere glimpse of what UCD Sport has to offer. Next week, incoming and continuing students alike will have the chance to attend Sports Expo. Whether you are an incoming fresher or returning student, it is a must-visit if you are in any way sports-inclined, or even merely curious. You walk in with no plan, spend 20 minutes talking to people you have never met about a sport you have never tried, and somehow leave having signed up for the Trampolining Club.
With more than 45 sports clubs on offer, there is no excuse not to find something, and it is worth noting that you do not have to be particularly sporty to join one! The social side pulls in as many people as the sport itself, and clubs tend to be where you find your people faster than anywhere else on campus. The Sports Expo is usually where it all starts! Sports Expo 26 takes place from 14-17 September, 10 am- 5 pm in Hall B of the Sports Centre,