networksports 10getinvolvedatwww. ntualumni. org. uk Jacquimakesasplash TalentedrowerJacquiRoundisonthecrest ofawaveafterracingherwaytoaspecial sportsaward- createdthankstotheNTU AlumniFund. Twenty- one- year- oldJacqui, whohas representedGreatBritainatbothJunior andUnder23level, isthefirstathleteto receivethisnewawardaimedatpromising sportspeoplejoiningNTUasstudents. The£ 2,000awardpackagewillhelpher balanceherstudieswiththerigoursof trainingtoensureshe keepsaheadinher sport. Sheenthused: " Iwanttosaythanks verymuchto everyonewho contributestothe AlumniFund: IhopeI canmakethem proud. Thisgrantwill helpmesomuch- it meansIcanfocus moreonmytraining ratherthanhavingtoworryaboutmoney." Jacquiembarkedonhersportingcareer attheageoftenwhenshejoinedStNeots RowingClub. She'snotlookedbacksince, winning12goldandsilvermedalsbetween 2001and2005assheperfectedherskillsin schoolandjuniorcompetitions. Anearly highlightwaswinningbronzeinaquadscull attheWorldJuniorChampionshipsin2005. Twoyearslatershewasselectedforthe GBsquadattheYouthOlympicFestivalin Sydney, whereshewontwogoldmedals. Thisyearshenotchedupherfirstmedalat theUnder23WorldChampionships, taking bronzeinacoxlessfour. Herambitionthisseasonistobreakinto theseniorteamandbeselectedforthe SeniorWorldChampionships. Sheisalso aimingforgoldattheUnder23World Championships." Ihopetobeasuccessful seniorathleteforasmanyyearsaspossible. Myultimatedreamistosucceedatthe LondonOlympicsin2012," shesaid. NowthatshehasstartedherBA( Hons) inSport, Leisure, Psychologyand Education, the AlumniFundaward couldnothavecome atabettertime, easingthepressure onherparentswho havesupportedher rowingoverthe years. Thefunding willhelphermeet thecostsoftrainingcamps, racesabroad androwingclubmembershipfeesaswellas newscullsandspeedcoachequipment. KarenBoag, NTUSports, Recreationand ActivitiesManager, said:" Jacquiwaschosen fortheawardbecauseshehasreal potentialtotakethebigstepfromtheGB Under23squadtotheseniorsquad. We hopetheextraassistancefromtheAlumni Fundwillhelpensureshecancompeteand performatthehighestpossiblelevel." Whywe'resuchgoodsports NTUissettingthepaceafterwinningan accoladeasthe' mostimproveduniversity' whenitcomestosportingsuccess. Itachievedthespecialawardfromthe BritishUniversitySportsAssociation( BUSA) afterclimbinganimpressive17placesto 26thpositionintheBUSAleaguetable-inthespaceofjustoneyear. Comprising149universities, theBUSA leaguetablereflectsthesuccessofeach institutioninavarietyofsports, withleague pointsawardedforindividualandteam achievementsthroughouttheyear. CheerusontoVarsityvictory Thisyear'sVarsitySportsSerieswasjust championforNTU- asourtalentedteams regainedthecrownfromtheircloserivals, theUniversityofNottingham. NTUemerged6- 3victorswithwinsin men'sandwomen'sfootball, icehockey, netball, women'sbasketballandmen's hockey. Themostimportantwinner, however, wastheNottinghamshireRoyal SocietyfortheBlind- whichreceivedover £ 9,000asthisyear'sVarsitycharity. Eachfixturewasplayedinanelectrifying ' derby'atmospherewiththousandsoffans cheeringontheirsidesandhopingtogain braggingrightsfortheyearahead. Datesforthe2009Varsityeventswill soonbeannounced. Ifyou'dliketosupport NTUatsomenail- bitingshowdowns, email: alumni@ ntu. ac. ukformoreinformation. Going forgold It'sbeenatriumphantsportingyear forNTUstudentspastandpresent... fromgloryinBeijingtothefirstwinner ofournewAlumniFundaward. ... thanksverymuch toeveryonewho contributestothe AlumniFund...

getinvolvedatwww. ntualumni. org. uk11 GoldrushinBeijing InthelastissueofNetwork, theNational CoachforBritishCycling'sdisabilitysquad ChrisFurbertoldushowhehadtostriveto be" thebestintheworld" atwhathedoes. Now- followinghisteam'sexceptional performanceattheParalympics- therecan belittledoubtthathehasachievedhisgoal. Chris( SportAdministrationandScience 1999) returnedtriumphantfromBeijing afteranincredibleweek'sactionwhichsaw theGBcycliststakearecord- breaking17 goldandthreesilvermedals. Equallyathomeonthetrackortheroad, histeamdominatedthecompetitiontotop thecyclingtable, settingseveralworld recordsalongtheway. Gloriousmomentscaptured Onesportsenthusiastwhogainedan enviableclose- upoftheOlympicsaction thissummerwasaward- winning photographerJulianFinney. WorkingforphotoagencyGettyImages, Julian( Photography2004) capturedsome ofthekeymomentsdefiningboththe triumphandthedespairofBeijing2008. " CoveringtheOlympicswasamazing. Iwasexpectingittobegreatanditdidn't fail," heenthused." Itwasincredibletosee theworldofsportjoiningtogetherand competingfortheultimateprize." Juliancoveredavastrangeofsportsand travelledtoadifferentvenueeachday. He wasluckyenoughtotakeshotsrepresenting twoofthebiggestsuccessstoriesofthe Games- swimmerMichaelPhelpswhonow hasarecord14goldmedals, andsprinter Usain' Lightning'Boltwhosetthreeawe-inspiringworldrecords. " MyhighlightsincludedshootingBolt inthe200mfinalashewonbysucha distance," saidJulian." Anotherwasthe weightliftingheavyweightfinal, wononthe verylastliftofthecompetition." Headded:" The' bird'snest'wasamazing upclose. Idon'tthinkIhaveeverseena betterstadiumanywhere. It'sjustso unique!" Julian'scameralensisnowturnedmainly ontofootballandrugby, withtheoccasional tennistournament." Mylong- termgoal nowistophotographawinterOlympics," heconcluded. JacquiRoundhasrowedherwaytothefirst- eversportsawardcreatedviatheAlumniFundPrize- winningphotographerJulianFinneyof GettyImageschronicledthesheerspectacle oftheOlympics StarathletesincludedBritain'smost successfulindividualcompetitorDarren Kenny, withfourgoldsandasilver, aswellas RachelMorris( picturedbelowleftwith Chris) whomadehistoryasBritain'sfirst Paralympichandcyclingchampion. AdelightedChris- whohadoriginallyset histeamatargetoffivegoldmedals- said: " Itwasafantasticteameffortandbetter thanwecouldhaveeverimagined. Riders andstaffallpulledtogetherandthe atmosphereinthecampwasbuoyant." Headded:" Oursuccessisduetoa combinationoffactorsincludingLottery Funding, thesysteminplaceatBritish Cyclingwherebytheathletes- bothable-bodiedandParalympic- alltraintogether andtheunwaveringdeterminationof everyoneinvolved. BringonLondon2012!" Medalforcomebackking Despitehavingonceretiredfromathletics, ChrisMartin( ComputerStudies1994) threwhimselfbackintohissportwithsuch enthusiasmthathebroughthomeasilver medalfromtheParalympics. Infact, the discusthroweronlynarrowlymissedouton goldinadramaticclimaxtotheF33class. Beijingrepresentedaremarkable comebackforbusinessanalystChris, who hadpreviouslyreachedthepinnacleof achievementatSydney2000, scoopinga goldmedalfordiscusandasilverforthe javelin. Afterfinishingjustoutsidethe medalplacingsinAthensfouryearslater, he retiredfromsport- onlytostartcompeting againlastyearwithimpressivesuccess.