Dillian Whyte, who trains at Loughborough University, beat Oscar Rivas in thrilling heavyweight bout.

Dillian Whyte, who trains at Loughborough University, beat Oscar Rivas in a thrilling heavyweight bout.

Loughborough-based athletes in record breaking weekend

Elite level athletes based at Loughborough University enjoyed a thrilling weekend of competition, which saw records tumble and championships secured across multiple sports.

Boxer Dillian Whyte, who trains at the University and is supported by Loughborough Sport’s performance team, beat Oscar Rivas in a thrilling heavyweight bout at the O2 Arena. The 31-year-old’s victory confirms his position as the mandatory challenger for the WBC (World Boxing Council) world title.

In the pool, Adam Peaty became the first man to swim the 100m breaststroke in under 57 seconds as he won his semi-final at the World Championships in South Korea – breaking his own world record in the process with a time of 56.88.

In the Netball World Cup, Loughborough Lightning captain Nat Panagarry helped England to bronze after a comprehensive 58-42 victory over South Africa. After being edged out by eventual winners New Zealand on Saturday, the Red Roses bounced back to secure a third-place finish in front of another packed crowd in Liverpool.

At the Anniversary Games in London, sprinter Beth Dobbin broke her own Scottish record with a storming run in 200m. Finishing third in a competitive field, Dobbin ran a personal best of 22.50 seconds for her quickest time of the year.

"I had a bit of a stumble with my second step and started to panic," Dobbin told BBC Sport. "I thought 'I really need to get going' and it actually gave me a kick up the bum.

"It always takes me a couple of races to get into the swing of things and I've delayed my season because of the World Championships in Doha. I hadn't broken 23 seconds this season yet, so I was a bit worried, but to run a PB - I can't ask for any more."

Loughborough’s Sophie Hahn also impressed at the Games, taking victory in T35-38 100m, crossing the line with a time of 12.45 seconds.

The annual Loughborough European Athletics Permit (LEAP) event takes place on campus at the Paula Radcliffe Stadium on Tuesday 6 August 2019. Tickets can be purchased by visiting here, with gates open from 1pm.

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