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Loughborough pair earn top honours at national student sport awards

Posted on 27/12/2008

Loughborough University Website

Loughborough pair earn top honours at national student sport awards

Loughborough students Liam Tancock and Nicky Shaw have been named the country’s top student sports stars at the 2008 British Universities Sports Association (BUSA) Awards, held in London on 13 June.

Swimming world record holder Tancock and England women’s cricket vice captain Shaw were named National and International Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year at the annual awards ceremony that celebrates the achievements of student athletes involved in the BUSA competition.

Tancock, who picks up the title for the second year running, is recognised for an outstanding year that saw him qualify for the Beijing Games in the 100m Backstroke and 200m Individual Medley and set a World Record in the 50m Backstroke, becoming the first Brit in 18 years to do so.

One of only three British swimmers to earn pre-selection for the Games, he will make his Olympic debut this summer. And after securing four individual medals at the recent FINA World Championships (25m) in Manchester he is tipped as one of the nation’s favourites to medal.

Masters student Shaw has had an extraordinary comeback over the last 12 months which culminated in her England side retaining the Ashes to see Australia beaten on home turf for the first time in over 35 years.

Following a total knee reconstruction in 2006, Shaw only returned to competitive cricket last May. As well as gaining Ashes glory, she has since seen her Loughborough team win back to back BUSA titles and was named as one of only eight female players to receive an ECB contract through the Chance to Shine programme.

Earlier this year, Shaw was also announced assistant coach to Loughborough’s new women’s University Centre for Cricket Excellence (UCCE) and was inducted onto UK Sport’s women in high performance coaching programme.

Shaw was in London on Friday to collect the award, whilst Tancock was unable to attend due to overseas training commitments, as he makes his final preparations ahead of Beijing.