Taking a leap of faith: from gymnastics to athletics and commercialising UCL’s Biopharm research

Image credit: The Guardian

Ahead of the Paris Olympics Triple Jump Final, we talk to UCLB’s Associate Business Manager Anand Patel about how juggling a PhD in Chemistry with top flight athletics helps him tackle the challenges of commercialising UCL’s research.   

 

How did you get started in your sporting career?

It began as a young child. I was brimming with energy and an intense curiosity about the world, and while I did various activities I struggled to focus and manage my energy constructively. To help, my parents enrolled me in  gymnastics which taught me valuable lessons about discipline, teamwork, and resilience.

Besides gymnastics where I was training twice a week after school recreationally, I was paving my way as an up-and-coming triple-jumper and footballer. I broke the triple-jump school record from Year 8 onwards. In football,  by age 15, I became the top striker on the Isle of Man where  I played for the Isle of Man in the Celtic Cup against teams overseas such as Northern Ireland, Dublin and Dumfries and Galloway. My school also enabled me to play three years above my age group, for the first team. The thrill of football and athletics consumed me, but the island’s limited scouting opportunities meant a serious career in either sport was unlikely, but I had another passion: gymnastics. Though I had only practised it a few days a week, I decided to pursue it seriously and committed to it full-time, six days a week; three-four hours each session

I dedicated myself to rapid improvement in gymnastics. Within a year , I earned a bronze medal at the British Championships, the first British medal in gymnastics for someone from the Isle of Man. This was exhilarating and I set my sights on more goals – the Youth Commonwealth Games and later the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

But in the lead-up to the Youth Commonwealth Games, I suffered a severe injury on the high bar which required surgery, leaving my wrist compromised and chronically inflamed. Despite this, I competed in the Games modifying my routine to avoid using my injured arm.

 

How did you balance your academic success with this rigorous sporting regime?

During training, balancing my academic studies was a constant challenge – studying during the day, completing homework during lunch breaks, while training six days a week after school.  My dream was to compete and medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and that kept me going.

I studied chemistry at UCL, again balancing the increasing academic workload with training six days a week. Adapting to university life was challenging; I often felt guilty about missing social activities, but I believed my dedication would pay off.

In my second year, I wanted to quality for the Commonwealth Games, but my persisting wrist injury put that in doubt. I consulted a specialist and received treatment which reduced inflammation and improved my wrist mobility so I could train harder. Within months, I achieved the qualification scores for the Commonwealth Games, which was an incredibly proud moment!

 

You soon made a complete change to the triple jump. How did that come about?

As I embarked on the Commonwealth Games journey, the academic pressure was intense. Sleepless nights and overwhelming stress with six days of training weekly was taking its toll.

A few months before the Commonwealth Games, a dull ache in my left knee worsened. Overwhelmed by exams and focusing on preparing for the Games, I became desensitised to my body’s signals. The knee issues persisted and significantly affected my performance – eventually leading to me developing chronic fatigue. Watching the triple jump final at the Games, I had a realisation and months later, an MRI scan confirmed what I suspected – I had a torn knee cartilage, which again required surgery.

After surgery, during my gradual return to fitness, I met well-known British sprinter Dwayne Chambers at my local gymnastics club in Harrow, and he seemed impressed with my jumping ability. He connected me with John Herbert, a former Commonwealth triple jump champion and that connection proved pivotal – and l decided to pursue triple jump seriously.

Training for triple jump at age 22 was a huge challenge, especially with knee issues. Despite the challenges, I progressed and fell in love with the sport, using my scientific background to solve training-related issues creatively. I switched my hopping leg to the one I had surgery on which proved to be a significant milestone. Sadly, another minor training injury meant I missed competing in the British Championships – but my training longevity enabled me to continue competing well into my 30s, which is uncommon.

 

How has overcoming these challenges helped you in your work with UCL’s academics to commercialise their research?

My approach to training paralleled my scientific mindset—critical and creative thinking. During my PhD, I discovered a talent for solving complex problems creatively: and that’s crucial in overcoming triple jump challenges too.

So now, as I help academics commercialise their scientific innovations, I use this creativity for problem-solving and finding unique strategies. My journey from academia to athletics has been about resilience, creativity, and innovation, shaping my career and equipping me with a unique perspective to contribute to both fields.