Loughborough University: Loughborough students added to UK Sport Paralympic World Class Programme

British Athletics has announced its nominations onto the UK Sport Paralympic World Class Programme (WCP) for 2022/23, which includes 14 Loughborough students, alumni and Loughborough-based athletes.

The Paralympic WCP is UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded initiative supporting the delivery of success at named milestone targets, namely outdoor track World and European championships, and the Paralympic Games.

The list includes Paralympic champion and Loughborough student Thomas Young (coach: Joe McDonnell) and Commonwealth Champion and Loughborough student Emmanuel Oyinbo-Coker (McDonnell).

They are joined by Paralympians and students Lydia Church and Luke Nuttall (Sonia & Chris McGeorge), and first year Loughborough student and World Junior medallist Ethan Kirby (Sonya Ellis).

Alumni included on the programme include multi-global medallists Jonathon Broom-Edwards (Bethan Partridge), Dan Greaves (Zane Duquemin), Zac Shaw (Leon Baptise) and Zak Skinner (Aston Moore) who all continue to train at Loughborough.

Loughborough is also proud to be the training base for Paralympic Champions Sophie Hahn (Baptiste), Hollie Arnold (Dave Turner) and Dan Pembroke (Turner), and Paralympic medallists Ali Smith (Benke Blomkvist) and Olivia Breen (Moore).

Femi Akinsanya, Director of Athletics at Loughborough, commented:

“We are constantly striving to create a diverse and inclusive training environment at Loughborough, and with over a third of the athletes on the Paralympic World Class Plan being based at Loughborough, we hope we are on the way to achieving that.

“The five current students on the Para programme will be a key part of our BUCS track and field team this year, and we will continue to work with British Athletics to provide them with the support they need to achieve at the highest level.”