Gareth rises to Challenge

The team from Queen’s got off to a great start against Downing College of Cambridge when Medicine student Gareth (22) buzzed in and correctly answered the Starter for 10.

Gareth told the ‘MAIL’: “It was good to buzz in and get the first one right. It gave me the confidence to keep buzzing in. It was strange watching it back again because there’s some of the questions I don’t remember buzzing in for.

“We’d seen Downing College on previously when they demolished their opponents so we knew we had to get in early. The thing about the questions is there’s always around four people who know the answer so it’s just a matter of being the first to buzz in.”

Of his own brilliant performance, Gareth said modestly: “I got a lot of questions right, but it’s just the luck of how the questions fall.

“My strongest subjects would be Science and Maths. Those were my A-levels. I’d also have a good knowledge of current affairs and politics.”

During the quiz the 22-year-old stunned host Jeremy Paxman by recognising the recipe for Victoria Sponge.

Gareth said: “There’s some things you just pick up by osmosis from watching TV or reading books.

“You need a mix of everything to be a good team. We made the decision not to try and learn something that we weren’t already familiar with.”

The former Maralin Village Primary School and Banbridge Academy student said: “We tried to relax going into the match. There’s no point trying to cram something into your head 30 minutes before its due to start.”

Gareth has one year to go of his studies and hopes to become a doctor upon completion of his degree.