Swansea student Luke Lawrance flies to Italy on Monday (Dec 8, 2013) to represent Team GB in the World University Winter Games.
Luke, from Llanvair Discoed near Chepstow, has been selected as a Net-Minder for the Great Britain Ice Hockey team competing at the Winter Universiade in Trentino.
The team’s first game, against Russia, will be played on December 12 and televised live by Eurosport 2. It is also available to view on the BUCS You Tube channel.
GB are also grouped with Slovakia and the Czech Republic in a 12-nation tournament.
Luke is a joint honours student studying History & French at Swansea University. He is spending his third year in Lyon, France, on the Erasmus placement scheme.
While there he has been training with Lyon Lions ice hockey team.
He plays his UK ice hockey for the Cardiff Devils NIHL2 team. Previously Luke has represented Wales at various junior levels in the Roller Hockey Superleague tournaments.
The UK is sending 52 athletes to the games which are organised every two years by the International University Sports Federation (FISU).
About 1,800 athletes from 59 nations are taking part. The opening ceremony is on December 11.
Matt Bradbury, Men’s Ice Hockey Head Coach, is optimistic ahead of the Games. The team have been at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham for their final training camp, and Bradbury said he was very happy with the way the players are gelling, with “good vibes and togetherness”.
“We are aiming to make a positive impact on the competition, and for our experience in Trentino to be a truly memorable one,” he said.
