Olympic Stadium. Picture courtesy of London 2012

UNIVERSITY of Hertfordshire athletes will have the chance of a lifetime when they compete at the Olympic Stadium in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Visa Outdoor Athletics Championships at the weekend (May 4-7).

The competition acts as a test event for the Olympic Stadium ahead of London 2012 and is expected to see in the region of 60,000 spectators watch around 1,500 students compete across a full athletics programme over three days.

The University of Hertfordshire’s men’s 100m and 200m sprinters Deji Tobais and Confidence Lawson will be looking to build on their BUCS Indoor Championship displays.

Lawson took the 200m indoor silver medal and was fourth in the 60m final, while Tobais was the fastest qualifier from his 60m semi-final but suffered the disappointment of disqualification in the final.

Also ready for action in east London is the University’s men’s 100m hurdler and long jumper Onajite Okoro and men’s 400m and 800m runner Sam Poulton.

Flying the flag for the ladies is Herts Phoenix 400m hurdler and 100m hurdler Emily Stevens.

Lawson, Tobais, Okoro and George Cummins will also be hoping to race in the 4x100m relay.

The BUCS Visa Outdoor Athletics Championships is part of Universities Week 2012, which will recognise and celebrate the contribution that universities make – and have always made – to the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the sports industry in the UK.