The BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year show this year included a little get-together of former Christ Church students.

Grace Balsdon (BSc (Hons) Physical Education and Sport & Exercise Science 2014) was part of the England hockey team honoured for winning gold at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, while Ron Chakraborty (BA/BSc (Hons) Radio, Film and Television Studies and Religious Studies 1991) was in charge of the BBC’s coverage in Birmingham last summer, and the two met up following the programme.

“It was great to catch up with Grace as she’s been playing in so many of the events that I’ve been covering for the BBC,” said Ron. “But we also chatted about Christ Church and how much it’s changed from our eras to where it is now.”

Grace has also been a key member of the GB team since 2017, winning bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, while Ron, who joined the BBC in 1998, has been their Head of Major Events since 2013, looking after its coverage of the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Wimbledon.