Latest news from Loughborough University
| 11 August 2008 | PR 08/121 |
Loughborough-based swimmer secures Olympic bronze
Loughborough-based swimmer Joanne Jackson has secured Olympic bronze in the women’s 400m Freestyle.
Jackson was joined by Nottingham-based Rebecca Adlington who took gold to become the first British woman to win an Olympic title in the pool since Anita Lonsborough in 1960. Adlington is a regular at Loughborough’s 50m swimming facility, training there three times a week with her Nova Centurion coach.
The 19-year-old took the top spot in 4:03.22 while 21-year-old Jackson finished for bronze in 4:03.52. The pair were split by USA’s Katie Hoff who claimed silver in 4:03.29.
“We are both so happy to have two British girls on the podium,”
said Adlington. “It was a lot harder this morning. We just tried
to ignore the times and race the final.’‘
Loughborough’s Liam Tancock has booked his spot in the 100m Backstroke
final after qualifying sixth fastest in this morning’s semis.
Tancock, the world record holder over 50m, turned fastest on the first leg but slowed on the second length to touch in third in 53.61 seconds in a speedy race that saw winner Arkady Vyatchanin of Russia set a new Olympic standard. Tancock qualifies sixth fastest into tomorrow night’s final.
Ross Davenport led the group out in the heats of the 200m Freestyle, but couldn’t hold onto his lead and finished third in 1:47.35, leaving him out of the top eight after a fast second heat. He was in action again in the 4x100m Freestyle, where Britain finished 8th in 3:12.87, breaking the national record they set in yesterday’s heats.
In the women’s 100m Backstroke Lizzie Simmonds broke the University record she set last night, lowering it to 60.39. But in an event where Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry dropped below the 59-second mark to lower her own world record, a best performance wasn’t enough to see Simmonds through to the final.
Kate Haywood is also out at the semi-finals, finishing her heat in 7th position in 1:08.36.
-ENDS-
- Loughborough has its own Embassy in Beijing for the Games. For more information contact Sports PR Officer Amanda Overend on 07967 665 946 or email a.j.overend@lboro.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
- 55 Loughborough students past and present and University-based athletes will represent four nations in eight different sports at the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. For more information logo onto http://www.lboro.ac.uk/beijing
- Loughborough is the UK’s premier university for sport. It has arguably the best integrated sports development environment in the world and is home to some of the country’s leading coaches, sports scientists and support staff. It also has the country’s largest concentration of world-class training facilities across a wide range of sports.
- Loughborough is one of the country’s leading
universities, with an international reputation for excellence in teaching
and research, strong links with industry and unrivalled sporting achievement.
It is a member of the esteemed 1994 Group – a set of internationally recognised, research intensive universities – and has a reputation for the relevance of its work. Its degree programmes are highly regarded by professional institutions and businesses, and its graduates are consistently targeted by the UK’s top recruiters.
Loughborough is also the UK’s premier university for sport. It has perhaps the best integrated sports development environment in the world and is home to some of the country’s leading coaches, sports scientists and support staff. It also has the country’s largest concentration of world-class training facilities across a wide range of sports.
In the 2007 National Student Survey, the University was voted fourth in the UK, with 23 out of 29 of Loughborough’s subject areas being ranked in the top ten for overall satisfaction. Loughborough is also ranked in the top fifteen of UK universities in national league tables. It was named winner of the 2006 and 2007 Times Higher award for the UK’s Best Student Experience and winner of the 2007 award for Outstanding Support for Overseas Students. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, the University has been awarded six Queen's Anniversary Prizes – an achievement bettered by no other university.