Latest news from Loughborough University
| 27 March 2006 | PR 06/36 |
Loughborough University’s medal tally reaches 30 at the end of a spectacular Commonwealth Games
As the Melbourne Commonwealth Games drew to a close yesterday (Sunday) Loughborough University was able to reflect on what a fantastic event it had been for its many athletes.
The University’s medal tally now stands at an impressive 30, including eight Golds. This is testament to the commitment and hard work of Loughborough’s athletes, coaches and support staff, as well as the quality of the sporting facilities on offer at the campus.
In the last two days of the Games Loughborough women helped England claim Bronze in the Netball after a dramatic last minute 53-52 victory over Jamaica.
Jamaica beat England to claim the Bronze medal at the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games and at the 2003 World Championships. They also led for most of Melbourne Bronze medal play-off but a determined England team refused to give up, putting in a gutsy performance to win by just a single goal in the dying seconds.
Loughborough University players in the England Netball squad were:
Olivia Murphy (Graduate 1998, Economics)
Karen Atkinson (Graduate 2000, Sports Science)
Jade Clarke (Current student: Year 3 - Sports Science)
Ama Agbeze (Loughborough Lightning player who trains at the University)
Speaking after the match Olivia Murphy said: “Manchester was a disappointment for us and we wanted to come here and perform like we know we can. The start of the game didn’t quite go to plan, but the rest of it did. I’d like to thank the girls for a fantastic performance. It was a fantastic game to play in and a fantastic game to win.”
World number ones New Zealand beat Australia 60-55 to take Gold, reversing the result of the last two Commonwealth finals.
In Badminton, Loughborough graduate Donna Kellogg (Sports Science, 1999) with her partner Gail Emms won the Bronze medal after beating India’s Trupti Murgunde and Saina Nehwal (21-14 21-9).
Emms and Kellogg, who were second seeds for the tournament, had earlier despatched India’s Jawala Gutta and Shruti Kurian (21-17; 21-10) in the quarter-final, and Australia’s Kellie Lucas and Kate Wilson Smith (21-13, 21-9). But they lost in the semi-final to Singapore’s Jiang Yanmei and Li Yujia. Ultimately Gold was won by Malaysia.
Emms and Kellogg were already Silver medallists at these Games from the ‘Team Event’, and it was Kellogg who was crucial in that campaign, having sealed the last match win against India in a nail biting semi-final to get England into the final two.
So at the end of an amazing Commonwealth games Loughborough’s medal count finally stands at 30. To view the complete medal table and the University’s ‘Roll of Honour’, which lists all our medallists, visit:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/publicity/commonwealth_games/
Ends
For further information contact:
- Dr Guy Jackson, Head of Marketing and Development,
Sports Development Centre, E: G.A.M.Jackson@lboro.ac.uk
Notes for editors:
Loughborough has an established reputation for excellence in teaching
and research, strong links with industry, and unrivalled sporting achievement.
Assessments of teaching quality by the Quality Assurance Agency place
it in the top flight of UK universities; the National Student Survey ranked
Loughborough equal first among full-time students; and industry highlights
the University in its top five for graduate recruitment. Around 40% of
Loughborough’s income is for research, and 60% for teaching. The
University has been awarded five Queen's Anniversary Prizes: for its collaboration
with aerospace and automotive companies such as BAE Systems, Ford and
Rolls Royce; for its work in developing countries; for pioneering research
in optical engineering; for its world-leading role in sports research,
education and development; and for its outstanding work in evaluating
and helping to develop social policy-related programmes.
In 2006 Loughborough celebrates the 40th anniversary of its University
Charter, awarded on 19 April 1966 in recognition of the excellence achieved
by Loughborough College of Advanced Technology and its predecessor Colleges.
Loughborough University of Technology was renamed Loughborough University
in 1996.