November 13, 2012, by Harry Waddle

Elite student athletes set to follow in footsteps of Olympic star

After seeing five of its graduates pick up Olympic medals at London 2012, The University of Nottingham has its sights set on helping to produce the next generation of UK sporting heroes.

To help them on their way, a bursary scheme has been set up to provide some of the country’s brightest sporting talent with the help they need to balance the demands of their coaches and University tutors.

A total of 24 students from a range of sporting disciplines will be given money to help finance training and competition, free gym membership and access to services including physiotherapy and nutritional support.

The students will also be given the opportunity to see how their dedication could pay off when they officially receive their bursaries from London 2012 gold medallist and Nottingham graduate Etienne Stott at the University’s Sports Performance Awards on 14 November.

For more information about, please visit the University’s sport website.

The 2012 Sports Bursars:

• James Allen (Judo and Maths)
  An England squad member and British Universities silver medallist.
• Thomas Green (Athletics and Maths)
  Team GB IPC World Championships Club Thrower and current seated Discus British Universities Champion. 
• George Harding (Archery and Mechanical Engineering)
  Olympic Trialist and British Universities Outdoor Champion
• Iain McMillan (Swimming and Physiotherapy)
  A 200m Butterfly specialist with multiple Scottish and GB caps.
• Paul McCreery (Table Tennis and Chemical Engineering)
  Northern Ireland Senior Champion with 3 All-Ireland World Championships caps, Paul is also a British Universities Team Champion.
• Harry Martin (Hockey and Economics)
  As the youngest member of Team GB Hockey, Harry helped the team finish fourth at London 2012, playing alongside two Nottingham graduates.
• Kike Oniwinde (Javelin and Economics)
  An Olympic Javelin Trialist, Kike is ranked 6th in Great Britain and was named one of the 2012 faces of the future.
• Isobel Pooley (High Jump and Animal Science)
  A British Universities Ambassador and Indoor British Universities High Jump Champion.
• Andrew Randall (Archery and Music)
  British Universities Indoor record holder and 2012 Championship.
• Sophie Rooney (Kayak and Geography)
  With Great Britain U23 and Senior European experience, Sophie is seen as one of the rising stars of GB Sprint Kayaking.
• Sam van de Schootbrugge (Swimming and Economics).
  A 200m Butterfly specialist Sam won a national silver medal and had the honour of carrying the Olympic Torch Bearer as it passed through Nottingham. 
• Joseph Sharp (Hockey and Economics)
  The GB Hockey Writers Young Player of the Year, Joseph was one of the stars of the England Junior system.
• Eliza Stoddart (Equestrian and Art History)
  Fresher Eliza has already competed at European Final trails and is a World Class Development TASS athlete.
• Natalie Wilson (Canoe Slalom and Physics)
  Already a World under 23 Championship silver medallist and ranked third overall in Great Britain 

The 2012 Elite Performance Athletes;

• Katie Snowden (Geography and Athletics)
  A former Youth Olympic participant, 400 and 800m specialist Katie also won a GB vest in the 2012 Loughborough Open.
• Billy Ryan (Economics and Athletics)
  Irish Under 23 800m champion Billy had a medal-strewn 2012 summer and this year will be challenging for selection for the World University Games.
• Amelia Reynolds (Basketball and Medicine)
  A Welsh Senior Basketball Player with European Championship experience.
• Tsubasa Nakagawa (Swimming and Medicine)
  50m Freestyler Tsubasa was the University’s top performer at the 2012 British Universities Championships and ranks in the GB top 20.
• Tommy Mortberg (Canoe Slalom and Accounting)
  Tommy is a stalwart of our University Canoe Slalom and Canoe Polo Teams as well as being a trialist for the Swedish Olympic kayak squad.
• Timothy Lewis (Hockey and Behavioural Economics)
  With 75 Irish Caps from U16 to senior level, postgraduate Timothy is currently playing for the University Hockey Team and Beeston Hockey Club.
• Lereesa Easterbrook (Tennis and Law)
  Undefeated within British Universities matches last year, Lereesa has also taken on the role of University Tennis Club President for the 2012-13 campaign
• Alex Boggis (Rugby and Classics)
  A key member of the University’s rugby union team Alex has also earned a contract with Nottingham Rugby Club.
• Ben King (Korfball and Management) and Joe Bedford (Korfball and Business)
  GB Internationals Ben and Joe helped the University to become 2012 British Universities Korfball Champions.

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Google+
• Share on LinkedIn