Teesside University welcomes this year’s performance sport scholars

A large number of talented sporting students have been selected to receive additional support to achieve their potential through a unique sport scholarship scheme at Teesside University.

Teesside Sport’s Performance Sport Scholarship supports student athletes by providing them with the opportunity they need to balance their university studies with competing at the highest levels in their sport.

The group of 19 elite athletes selected to join the scheme all compete at national or international level within their fields, including judo, tumbling, cycling, trampolining, taekwondo, swimming, high jump, karate, and boxing.

The scholarship is individually tailored to the needs of each person and offers students a holistic package of financial support, access to state-of-the-art facilities, physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, nutrition advice and more.

Some athletes have been reselected for the scheme following their success last year including Lewis Westwood and Jess Brain who achieved International Team Gold medals as part of the GB Tumbling Team at the 2022 World Championships.

Mary Corbyn is also on the scheme again after she began her senior career in kickboxing following her junior career whilst defending her two ISKA World Open Titles.

Eve Jackson has also been reselected after the scholarship gave her the opportunity to compete in judo at the University European Combat Championships last year.

Eve said: ‘The sport scholarship has provided me with the opportunity to gain access to specialist programmes that helped me physically prepare for competitions and provided funding for performing equipment.

‘The scholarship also helped by delivering insightful workshops such as nutrition and sports psychology which prepared me for life away from the mat.’

The scheme has also welcomed Sport and Exercise Science student, Holly Robinson who is a high-level trampolinist having previously represented England.

Also joining the scheme this year is British cycling coach, Jack Rees, who is a British cyclist, previously riding for the UCI Continental team Ribble Weldtite.

Will Jones, Head of Sport at Teesside University, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome this year’s athlete’s and are excited to see what they can achieve this year given their previous levels of performance.

‘We are passionate about supporting students whilst they are at university to pursue their dual-career goals of obtaining a degree, whilst also performing at their highest level possible within their sport. It is great to see such a range of athletes across many sports that we can support this year.’

Andrew Jones, Performance Sport Coordinator, said: ‘I have met this year’s athletes and we have individual plans in place to aid their sporting performance and development alongside their studies.

‘We hope to see their successes in the BUCS competitions representing Teesside University, as well as their external performances at both national and international level through a range of championships and competitions that they plan to compete in.’

This year’s Performance Sport Scholars are:

• Amy Bone, Taekwondo – Crime Scene Science
• Gian-Peiro Meade, Cricket – Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
• Joe McNeil, Judo – Strength and Conditioning
• Eleanor Whitmore, Judo – Professional Policing
• Jess Brian, Tumbling – Aerospace Engineering
• Mary Corbyn, Kickboxing – Professional Policing
• Lewis Westwood, Tumbling – Chiropractic
• Harley Harbisher, Taekwondo - Law
• Kamraan Ali, Boxing – Computer and Digital Forensics
• Matthew McCarthy, Swimming – Strength and Conditioning
• Hollie Smith, High Jump – Health Psychology
• Holly Robinson, Trampolining – Sport and Exercise Science
• Eve Jackson, Judo – Childhood and Youth Studies
• Asad Rafiq, Karate – Diagnostic Radiography
• Lauren Robinson, Cycling – Physiotherapy
• Samuel George Jones, Taekwondo – PGCE
• John Jay Gussow, Judo – Mechanical Engineering
• Jack Rees, Cycling – Senior Leadership
• Zameer Hussain, Taekwondo – Biomedical Sciences

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