BREAKING: UCA Hosts the Third UK’s Largest Student Calisthenics Competition

Image: Layla Syed

On the 12th of April 2025, the University Calisthenics Association (UCA) hosted the UK’s largest annual student Calisthenics competition at the iconic Steel Warriors outdoor gym in Ruskin Park. Organised by the UCA executive team - Andrew Wong, Yasin Baahmed, Nic Alvanis, Tom Ward, and Demetri Alvanis - this third iteration of their flagship event brought together over 100 competitors from across the UK.

With a strong emphasis on student empowerment, discipline, and community, this inter-university calisthenics competition was a monumental showcase of skill, determination, and unity.


Image: Amrit Kaur, UCA Marketing

The event saw a total of 100 sign-ups, with 75 male competitors (77.32%) and 22 female competitors (22.68%). Among them, 87 were current students (89.69%) and 10 were alumni (10.31%).

Image: Amrit Kaur, UCA Marketing

Represented institutions included Queen Mary University of London, which had the largest contingent with 24 athletes (24.74%), followed by University of Exeter with 19 (19.59%), University College London (UCL) with 11 (11.34%), and Brunel University with 13 (13.40%). Other universities included LSE, Plymouth, Bournemouth, KCL, Southampton, Portsmouth, Warwick, Surrey, Brighton, Hertfordshire, Cumbria, Essex, Sussex, Kent, Croydon College, Ealing Independent College, and even an Apprenticeship programme.

Image: Amrit Kaur, UCA Marketing

The winners were as follows:

1st Place: Dan Williams (Exeter), Hur Zaidi (Queen Mary), Riyadh Islam (Queen Mary), Maria (Anglia Ruskin), Elkie (Queen Mary), Megan (Exeter), Jem (Exeter), Yacoub (UCL), and Katie (Queen Mary). 

2nd Place: Nafis Mahboob (Brunel), Divakaren Sambandan (UCL), Xin Chen (Chenny) (UCL), Esther (Brunel), Lujain (Queen Mary), Bomi (University of Sussex), Ethan (Exeter), Tiago (Queen Mary), and Edie (Exeter).

3rd Place: Naeem Osmani (University of Cumbria), Clarke (Exeter), Panos (UCL), Masked (UCL), Misha (Brunel), Caitlin (UCL), Maryam (UCL), Lanre (Brunel), Riyadh (Queen Mary), and Annabel (Exeter).

Exeter team at the Inter-University Championships
Image: Layla Syed

Category head judges for each competition group included Tom Ward for Beginner Males, Charlotte Drnovsky for Beginner Females, Aiden Cockle for Intermediate Males, Lanre Salami for Intermediate Females, Subhaan Shahzad for Advanced Males, and Freddie Hackett for Advanced Females.

Judging across the wider competition was led by a panel of top-tier calisthenics professionals, including Lena Limoli (who flew in from Switzerland), Thanh Nguyen (Latwist) from Frankfurt, Germany, and UK-based experts Nic Alvanis, Demetri Alvanis, and Andrew Wong.

Lena and Latwist counting the results, Image: Layla Syed

The day concluded with the highly anticipated Inter-University Championship Team Relay, an endurance-based team challenge featuring three athletes from each university (with at least one male and one female, alumni excluded). The relay consisted of the following exercises in sequence: 15 muscle-ups, 20-second handstand, 50 pull-ups, 80 push-ups, 20 toes-to-bar, 20-second single leg front lever, 20-second tuck planche, 8 jump squats, 40-second L-sit (on parallettes or floor), and 60 dips. The challenge was timed, and teams were ranked based on overall completion time.

Image: Amrit Kaur, UCA Marketing 

The sponsors of this event reflected the UCA’s deep commitment to purpose-driven partnerships. Gravity Fitness provided high-quality equipment prizes; Steel Warriors, the venue itself, is a powerful initiative converting confiscated knives into outdoor gyms to combat youth knife crime. OX Calisthenics offered the UK’s first dedicated calisthenics duffel bags. Additional support came from Sureal and Mydreamphysique, both of which promote healthy lifestyle and fitness within youth and student communities.

Image: Amrit Kaur, UCA Marketing 

The energy throughout the day was electric - a fusion of determination, support, and vibrant community spirit. A highlight of the day was the unrivalled unity and atmosphere created by the Queen Mary team, whose passionate cheering, infectious joy, and full-team mosh pits lit up the park. Their relentless support for each other and contagious celebrations stood out as one of the most heartwarming and powerful elements of the competition day.

Queen Mary celebrating their win, Image: Layla Syed

UCA’s mission continues to build momentum. With a focus on empowerment, self-improvement, community well-being, and tackling social issues - from digital addiction and isolation to mental health and a sedentary lifestyle - this student-led movement is changing lives through calisthenics and bringing together a long-lost unity this current digital age faces.

Co-founder Yasin Baahmed shared:

“We’re not here to just put together competitions - we’re here to set the standard, and in the process, create experiences and life-long memories.”

The UCA team, Image: Layla Syed

The competition was captured in full colour and spirit by photographers and videographers Amrit Kaur, Layla Syed, Tyler Palmer, and Ferran Ases.

This was more than just a competition. It was a celebration of discipline, unity, and youth potential - and it’s only just the beginning.

Image: Amrit Kaur, UCA 

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