Student Success

Rhianna Parris-Smith

University of Derby student Rhianna Parris-Smith has been selected to join the GB Cycling team, with her sights set on the Olympics and competing in the Commonwealth Games. 

Rhianna has always been passionate about sport and started her journey by competing at county level in athletics in Northamptonshire. Knee problems eventually meant that she had to stop training, but while attending sports college she found a new love for cycling. 

“I have been lucky enough to have a bike from when I was little,” says Rhianna. “At every opportunity I would be out riding it around the block or in circles in front of the house. Riding a bike wasn’t new to me but track cycling was. To learn I was OK and had potential in this new sport was exciting and spurred me on to see how far I could go.” 

Rhianna began her studies in Sport Coaching and Development  at Derby in September 2020. “A friend mentioned the Derby Sports Scholarship to me. When I applied and was successful, I was so pleased. I feel extremely lucky to have been given this push in my sporting career.” 

The scholarship provided Rhianna with a range of benefits: “I had access to British Cycling sessions, the University gym, and accommodation at the Flamsteed Court halls of residence, right next to the campus. This made getting to the University, as well as things I needed for my course and cycling, a lot easier which helped with my tight schedule.” 

GB Cycling 

Rhianna joined the GB Cycling team as a Talent ID athlete through their Home 2 Games Pathway. To become part of this team she had to complete a series of trials and challenges and was then invited to be a guest on the programme, where she trained with GB coaches while continuing with her studies. Following this, she achieved a full-time position on the team in July 2022.  

Rhianna has found that balancing cycle training and her studies has worked well so far: “Both my Team GB coaches and university lecturers have understood the commitments I have to each one and the requirements expected by both. This meant that I was able to manage the workload required both for my training and my studies.” 

When things did become a little stressful, she found the support she needed from her tutors. “Speaking to them and getting their advice and support really helped me understand how to balance my priorities,” she says. 

The future 

Although Rhianna has successfully managed to balance her studies and training, she has decided to take a break from studying in order to fully focus on her cycling career.  

She explains: “I want to make a move into the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, and I would really like to make an impact on sport in terms of its diversity and, of course, still be happy with what I am doing in the industry.” 

Advice to others 

For other students who want to pursue a sporting career, Rhianna says that it does come with hardships, and it’s important to strike a balance: “Everyone tells you to take up every opportunity, but being an athlete makes it harder to do this,” she says.  

“My advice would be don’t feel pressured. Go at your own pace and don’t feel you have to be where everyone else is right now. Where you can take the opportunity take it, and where you can’t don’t worry about it too much!” 

While sport is important to Rhianna, she believes it’s important to have a balance. Her main priority is her cycling, which is where she focuses a lot of her time and attention, making sure not to neglect other areas of her life: “Do things as and when you feel but make sure your priorities always come first because those are what are most important to you.” 

Written by Bethany Parkes