Current Students and Staff

// University News

10 Jul 2014

Sports Scholarships support Commonwealth Games athletes

14 current Loughborough Sports Scholars, representing four different nations across four sports, have been selected for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Since 1995 the Loughborough Students’ Sport Foundation has supported over 500 student-athletes.

Paula Radcliffe, who won a Commonwealth gold medal for the 5,000 metres at the Manchester 2002 Games, was the first Scholar to receive support back in 1995.

Last year the Foundation supported over 130 athletes in a range of sports, including rugby union, football, cricket, netball, hockey, athletics, swimming and triathlon.

Over 60 former and present Sports Scholars have been selected for the Games, including 14 current students based at Loughborough University and Loughborough College.

University Sport & Exercise Science student Olivia Curran will be attending her second Games after representing the Isle of Man in gymnastics at Delhi. 

However a serious knee injury and ‘looking for a new challenge’ will see Olivia complete in the pole vault at Glasgow.

Speaking about being a Sports Scholar Olivia Curran said:

“The financial help is great for covering the cost of equipment. There has been various services like the mentor scheme and the sports psychologists that have really helped me leading up to the Games.

“But more than anything I just feel really proud and it’s an honour to call myself a Sports Scholar at the University.”

Adam Barrett, who is studying Applied Sports Science and Management at Loughborough College, will be representing England in the 50m and 100m butterfly events in his first major international competition. Adam said:

“Loughborough has been a massive part of my development over the last four years.  I came up through the ranks with Steve Bayley and Ian Armiger and have now moved on to the British Swimming set-up.

“Having the financial support and wider help in place makes a difference.  I’ve split the last year of my degree, and doing that has given me a bit more time to focus on both my studies and sport.”

The Scholarship programme offers coaching, access to world class training and competition facilities, strength and conditioning, physiotherapy and sports massage, mentoring and financial support for sporting expenses.

Full details about the Sports Scholarships programme can be found on the Loughborough Sport website.

Over 120 athletes with Loughborough connections will be competing at the Commonwealth Games.  You can follow their fortunes via our Glasgow 2014 website.

 

Current Loughborough Sports Scholars selected for Glasgow 2014

 

Athletics

Olivia Curran - Isle of Man

Niall Flannery - England

David Guest - Wales

Izzy Jeffs - England

Rachel Johncock - Wales

Benji Pearson - England

Guy Learmonth - Scotland

Jake Wightman - Scotland

 

Hockey

David Condon - England

 

Swimming

Adam Barrett - England

Rachael Kelly - England

Aisha Thornton - Scotland

James Wilby - England

 

Triathlon

Lucy Hall - England