Bangor’s elite athletes awarded Sports Scholarships
Every year, Bangor University supports students with sporting ability by offering a number of Sports Scholarships for students studying for a degree in any subject area.
These Sports Scholarships are awarded to recognise and support sporting excellence and achievement. They are aimed at helping talented and high-performance students to combine their academic study and sporting performance to assist them in achieving their full potential.
Iona Williams, Bangor University Sports Development Manager, said: “We are very pleased to support a number of highly talented athletes at Bangor University. Although Canolfan Brailsford has been utilised by the NHS as a Rainbow Hospital, we have been able to provide temporary gym facilities at our Ffriddoedd Site and our outdoor facilities have been run complying with government guidelines when permitted to do so.
“Despite the restrictions of COVID-19, our resilient students have adapted their training, with their gardens and bedrooms turned into workout spaces and doing their best to maintain their regimes in preparation for returning to competition.”
This year saw 16 students receive scholarships totaling over £20K for a wide range of sports. The students to benefit from this year’s Sports Scholarships are:
- James Andrew, Llanfair PG - Rugby
- Michael Farmer, Caerphilly - Weightlifting
- Rebecca Ganley, Abergele - Wheelchair Basketball
- Rhys Hamilton, Liverpool - Rugby
- Beca Hughes, Mold - Netball
- Catrin Hughes, Mold - Netball
- Harri Hughes, Ruthin - Rugby
- Catrin Jones, Bangor - Olympic Weightlifting
- Brea Leung, Caernarfon - Rugby Union
- Chris Mann, Ruthin - Road Cycling
- Sam Rogers, Wrexham - Rugby
- Joe Steward, Middleton - Manchester, Mountain Running/Cross Country
- Flo Tilley, Nottingham - Climbing
- Elliot Verry, Wirral - Climbing
- Aaron Williams, Llandudno - Rugby
- Rhydian Williams, Llanrug - Rugby
Catrin Hughes, a member of the Wales Under-21 Netball team, said: “The Sport Scholarship will support my training costs and travel as a member of the Wales U21 squad as we prepare for selection for the squad to travel to the Netball World Youth Cup in Fiji 2021. I am very grateful to have received the funding.”
Rhys Hamilton, who plays rugby for RGC Senior Academy, said: “Kit, traveling and staying nutritionally healthy can be very expensive, so the Sport Scholarship will take the stress out of funding my rugby and enabling me to study at university.”
Olympic Weightlifter, Catrin Jones, Welsh Senior Champion in 2017, 2018, 2019 and Commonwealth Junior Champion 2019, said: “The Sport Scholarship has given my unlimited access to top-class training facilities, coaching and other aspect of training such as body fat analysis and movement analysis from the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences. Most of my training is done in the weightlifting area at Canolfan Brailsford, where the environment is both supportive and empowering. In addition, the Scholarship has provided me with financial aid towards my training and academic studies which is a great help and allows me to perform optimally in both areas.”
The scholarship programme is part of a wider commitment to raise the profile and reputation of the University through sport.