Antony James receives 150 scholarship

Olympic hopeful swimmer Antony James has become the first student to receive a special bursary from Plymouth University as part of its forthcoming 150th anniversary celebrations.

Antony has been given £1,500 to help with his training costs as he focuses all of his efforts on qualifying for the Great Britain squad for London 2012.

The Plymouth Leander swimmer has taken a year off from his psychology degree at the University to concentrate on an exhausting 30 hours per week training schedule.

He said: “This scholarship is a massive boost for my ambition to qualify for the Olympics next year, as it means I can focus exclusively upon my training and not have to worry so much about the expenses that go with it, such as travel, accommodation and equipment.

“It is almost impossible to find a job with the level of flexibility to fit around my time in the pool, so this money will be a huge help.”

Antony will be the first recipient of a new 150 Scholarship, which is designed to reward excellence and is funded by donations from friends of the University.

Professor Richard Stephenson, Dean of the Faculty of Health, Education and Society, and Pro Vice-Chancellor, presented Antony with the certificate commemorating his scholarship. Professor Stephenson said: “Antony is an outstanding swimmer and has been a proud representative of both the University and Plymouth. So we are delighted to be able to present him with this bursary that will enable him to pursue his Olympic dream.”

The 150 Scholarships Fund has been introduced as part of the University’s 150th anniversary celebrations in 2012, designed to create a legacy for the institution, for Plymouth, and the region.

Other 150th highlights for 2012 include several prestige lectures, a commemorative CD of music by artists from the region, the creation of arts and heritage trails across the campus, and a spectacular live musical finale featuring the Ten Tors Orchestra.

Antony, who will return to his studies in September 2012, added: “I am a Plymouth boy, and it is great to be able to represent the University and the City, especially as they have been so supportive of me.”