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127 DCU students receive sports scholarships
07 December 2010
DCU continues to support the pursuit of sporting excellence and at last weeks Sport Scholarship Reception no less than 127 high standard sports students, in 20 different sports, were recognised. The sports included Men’s Gaelic Football, Athletics, Soccer, Ladies Gaelic Football, Rowing, Swimming, Canoeing, Hurling, Taekwondo, Tennis and Camogie.
As the prospect of London 2012 looms large for Olympic hopefuls, the next 18 months will be a particularly important period of time for our elite athletes. The Sport Scholarship Programme at DCU will assist 15 DCU students who are also carded athletes via the Irish Sports Council’s High Performance Unit. The scholarship is tailored to meet the needs and requirements of individual athletes and includes financial assistance, access to state-of-the-art facilities, fitness programmes, testing, educational workshops and other support services.
Final year Athletic Therapy and Training student and recent Canoeing Sprint World Cup Medallist Jenny Egan commented that "the Sport Scholarship Programme at DCU has benefited me immensely during my time at university. In addition to the amazing facilities we have access to, I have been able to balance my sporting and study commitments to ensure that I achieve on both fronts".
The priority accorded to sport at DCU was reiterated by the University’s Secretary Mr Martin Conry who noted that "we are committed to the continued delivery of a top class education for our students. The Elite Sport opportunities offered by DCU contribute significantly to this goal for so many talented athletes."
As well as competing at national and international level, the Sport Scholars will feature prominently for the university in third level league and championships during 2010/11 in the university’s bid for silverware.