Media Release: Scotland’s ‘winning’ student athletes

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WHEN: Wednesday 2 November, 11am, Glasgow School of Sport

WHAT: Elite student athletes targeting Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth selection, including Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning swimmer Robbie Renwick and former World Junior Champion curler Anna Sloan, will announce more than 120 of Scotland’s young sports stars selected for a national Winning Students scholarship.

The athletes will meet pupils from the Glasgow School of Sport and field a Q&A session on how they combine their sport and their studies to great effect.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: A photocall will be held with the elite athletes from 11.15am and with pupils from the Glasgow School of Sport while all athletes will be available for interview at 11.30am.

ATHLETES ATTENDING:

Robbie Renwick, University of Strathclyde
Olympic swimmer Robbie Renwick was the first gold medallist for Team Scotland at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games; winning the 200m Freestyle in a fantastic fingertip finish. The Sports Engineering student also helped Scotland’s men’s freestyle relay team collect a silver medal at the same Games. Robbie is now focusing on his studies and working towards selection for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Anna Sloan, Glasgow Caledonian University
Talented curler Anna Sloan was part of the Scotland team which won a gold medal at the 2009 World Junior Curling Championships and is the current Scottish national champion, defeating her team-mate Eve Muirhead’s rink en route to the title. Sochi 2014 will represent another major milestone for the Glasgow student.

Marc Austin, University of Stirling
It has been a busy year for teenage triathlete Marc Austin, starting a Mathematics degree at University and making the step up to the Junior (age 17-19) category in the Olympic sport which combines swimming, cycling and running. A gold medal for Great Britain at the European Mixed Relay Championships and selection for both the European and World Junior Championships keep mark on track for his Commonwealth goals.

Scott Quin, Edinburgh’s Telford College
Paralympic swimming hopeful Scott Quin will race for Scotland at the DSE Short Course Championships in Sheffield later this month in his favoured 100m Breaststroke event. Scott, studying Sports Coaching with Development, broke three Scottish records at the same event last year and has progressed to British and European Championship appearances. Scott competes in the S14 category, for participants with a learning disability, and also has tunnel vision, causing a slight impairment in both eyes

Nicola Skrastin, University of Glasgow
Scotland U21 international hockey player Nicola Skrastin is new to the Winning Students scholarship programme and the University of Glasgow student will use the support to help her push towards the Scotland Senior team, currently ranked in the top 20 international teams.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Winning Students Communications Officer

David Christie
07973198230
01786 466 653
david.christie1@stir.ac.uk.

DIRECTIONS
A map outlining directions to the Glasgow School of Sport can be requested by email to the Winning Students Communications Officer. Free parking is available and media should enter via the main entrance for 11am, where they will be directed by Glasgow School of Sport staff.

Winning Students
Winning Students is Scotland’s national sports scholarship programme for student athletes. Governed by the University of Stirling as Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence and funded by the Scottish Funding Council, more than 100 high performance student athletes in member colleges and universities across the country are supported with scholarships of up to £5,500 each year. For more information, visit: www.winningstudents-scotland.ac.uk

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Contact: David Christie
Phone: 01786 466653
Email: david.christie1@stir.ac.uk
Website: http://www.winningstudents-scotland.ac.uk