Record numbers of athletes selected for national championships
A RECORD breaking number of athletes from Loughborough College has been selected to compete at the national finals of one of the country’s largest sporting events.
Close to 100 College students who have triumphed across nine sports during months of fierce competition will now join winners from across the UK for this year’s Association of Colleges Sport National Championships.
The Loughborough College group is almost five times larger than it was for the competition four years ago, with all nine sports qualifying in individual and team categories for the second consecutive year.
Women’s rugby is hoping to defend their 2018 win and will be joined at the final by men’s rugby, men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s football and men’s basketball as well as individual athletes Ethan O’Shea and Kieran Coleman-Smith for cross country, Kirsten Thorpe and Kobe Palmer for golf, Chloe Dhillon, Abbi Archer and Grace Clarke for hockey, Edward Nettersby, Dempsey Mayne, Ned Smith, Ella Bills and Lucy Hull for tennis and Shannon Graves and Saieesha Lad for table tennis.
“It’s such an exciting competition for the students, and for the staff for that matter,” said Loughborough College Sport Development Manager Rob Jarram.
“The standard of competition gets higher each year so to have students and squads successfully qualify for the national championships for the second year in a row is a fantastic achievement.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the staff and students that continue to drive our provision, giving our athletes a sport and education experience so positive it is life shaping.”
The AoC Sport National Championships take place in April.