June 29, 2015, by Communications
Tri Campus games 2015
We began the much awaited journey on the 20th of June after losing 11 international players due to visa issues. This years’ tri campus was a much awaited experience as it was to be hosted where it all began in the UK campus.
Teams had been selected after much tedious trial, where the sports complex had gotten down coaches for the team sports and had a two level selection process while athletes for individual sports were chosen through the IMS games. There were a total of 62 of us including staff. The journey to the UK included a transit at the Abu Dhabi airport and many selfies. We finally reached Heathrow on Saturday around mid-day. The journey to Nottingham was another 2 and a half hour coach ride away.
We finally reached Nottingham and the tiring journey was worth it. We would be spending our one week experience at the Jubilee campus. It was such a different sight, the environment and surrounding was so different but yet similar as many buildings had similar names as the ones at UNMC. It was summer but we found it quite chilly. We were joined by the China Campus shortly after. 
After a briefing the next morning (Sunday) we were free to roam and explore the land and the other campus as well as the city centre. While enjoying the scenery and climate we did not forget the tournament began the next day, it was to be a week of competitive sport while celebrating our motto friendship through sport.
The opening ceremony on Sunday night was held at the Trent building, it was a very quaint ceremony with the attendees comprised of all the athletes and senior management of all three campuses and the games were declared open.
This year the games were to be featured in an away and home format so the number of games had doubled which would add to our exhaustion. All the sports except Tennis took place at the Jubilee sports centre and from day 1 the games were competitive. There were many close games and near misses, loud chanting from all the three campuses in their own unique style and language, but I felt we were the loudest with “Malaysia Boleh!”
Our athletes come from different countries, background and languages but here we were united under one flag supporting each other when we had the time off. It was an experience to be felt. On Wednesday we were taken to York to experience some English culture and do some souvenir shopping. York was a nice little town about an hour and a half by coach from Nottingham, so many sights to see like the Minster and Viking museum. The old architecture was well maintained and made for some good pictures. It was a tiring trip as it required a lot of walking and we had games the next day.
Thursday proved to be a promising day as the Malaysian team seemed most probable to lift the tri campus trophy for the first time, but as they say it isn’t over till the very last minute. Friday morning was spent in the city of Nottingham where we were able to see the famous Robin Hood statue, Wollaton castle & golf club and spend time at the market square. We returned back to campus for the last bout that would bring our Tri campus games to an end. The closing ceremony was held at Lincoln Hall where we would all sit in one of the larger dining rooms on the on-campus halls of residence, something that looked like it had been taken from a chapter in Harry Potter, where everyone was seated in long dining tables. It was now time for the awards ceremony and Malaysia succeeded in securing 8 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze. Each award was met with a roaring cheer from all three campuses and added excitement when they finally announced that the winner of the Tri Campus Games 2015 was for the first time in its 8 year history would be, Malaysia Campus. It was a euphoric experience where everyone jumped to their feet with hurrahs and fist bumps. With that our Tri campus journey for 2015 was concluded. The trophy would ride back with us to UNMC where we look forward to host the TCG 2016 with much excitement.
This was truly a bitter sweet moment as we were sad to say good bye to the friends we made this week, but these friendships forged at tri campus would live on. We are very thankful to be part of this global campus where the tri campus spirit is getting stronger year by year and opportunities such as TCG are but the beginning.
Our journey would be incomplete without Ms Mavis, Ms Intan and Mr Mahesh whose nurturing support and guidance was felt throughout the week. Also a big thank you to our senior management who have always supported sport and emphasized the importance of the TCG motto “Friendship Through Sport”. Finally and most importantly a thank you to all athletes for giving their heart out on court as players and off court as supporters, we were a diverse group of students that were united as one UNMC and this unity was our winning formulae.
Blog post written by : Aqeel Deen (SA President 2015/16)
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