Sporting Excellence

From funding talented young athletes on their medal winning journeys, to teaching blind children how to run, gifts to Loughborough’s sporting success story continue to reap rewards.

Almost everyone who has heard of Loughborough University knows that sport is one of the most defining aspects of our identity.

Whether it’s our world class research, our high-performance sports teams and haul of Olympic medals, this success could not have been won without the invaluable support of our alumni, friends and supporters.

George Gandy Legacy Fund

George Gandy contributed to the development of hundreds of university and college athletes. In memory of George, the George Gandy Legacy Fund will support potential top-tier athletes, coming to compete and study at Loughborough University and Loughborough College.

The impact of a gift to Sports at Loughborough

The UK’s most successful sports scholarship programme has helped to deliver an impressive medals haul and has had an immeasurable impact on the UK’s sporting success.

To date, over 400 individual awards have been given, making Loughborough’s scheme the largest and most highly regarded in the UK. By supporting Loughborough Sports Scholarships you will ensure sport at Loughborough remains internationally recognised for the sporting talent it produces.

Hear from our sports scholars

Loughborough has long been associated with big names in sport, with many choosing it as their training base, thanks to the incredible facilities we are able to offer.

In 2018 the University took its training facilities to the next level, by creating a unique venue that provides everything an athlete needs to be the best they can be.

The Elite Athlete Centre and Hotel promotes rest, relaxation, and the pursuit of excellence. The £7 million facility features 44 bedrooms, and nearly half of these rooms have technology to adjust oxygen levels to simulate altitude. This means that athletes can ‘train high’(up to the equivalent of Everest Base Camp) while living low. Furthermore, eight rooms are designed specifically for paraathletes and feature state-of-the- art accessible facilities.

The venue also houses a nutrition lounge and cafe, as well as Quiet Zones and Passive Zones. The Passive Zone provides athletes with areas to relax or take part in activities such as yoga and pilates, whilst the Active Zone includes a climbing and bouldering wall.

The venue is the first of its kind in Europe and will play a fundamental role in the advancement of top-level sport and benefit the elite athletes of today and tomorrow.

Wheelchair basketball could be set for inclusion at major global sports events such as the 2022 Commonwealth Games thanks to research at Loughborough.

Last year researchers in the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport worked alongside the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) to develop the new format of 3x3 wheelchair basketball.

Loughborough provided clear evidence about which game format should be employed by IWBF to complement its World Championship programme; an outcome which will allow the IWBF to provide an option for the inclusion of wheelchair basketball at major global sports events.

Can you imagine if you’d never experienced the feeling of running around in the playground with your friends as a child?

Last year Dr Mike Fray, a Human Factors Design expert within Loughborough Design School, and inclusive sports coach Mark Beeby developed Running Line – an assistive technology that enables visually impaired children to experience the adrenaline and excitement of running without the aid of a guide.

The duo and their team then ran a participation project that reached out to visually impaired children across the region, to raise awareness of Running Line, educate people on how to use it and promote the benefits of regular exercise.