Five medals for University of Stirling swimmers in Slovakia

University of Stirling swimmers have won five medals with Great Britain at the European Aquatics Under-23 Swimming Championships (U23) in Slovakia.

Lucy Grieve won an individual bronze in the 100m Butterfly on the opening night in Samorin, touching the wall in 58.71 seconds, just behind Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk (57.10s) and Greece’s Georgia Damasioti (58.06s).

Lucy, alongside fellow Stirling swimmers Evie Davis and Rory Dickson, and Matthew Ward, then won silver as part of the all-Scottish Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay. The team finished with a time of 3:48.27 – just 0.02s off winners Poland and setting a new Scottish record.

Evie added Stirling’s fifth medal on the final day of the meet – with a bronze in the Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay. Evie, with teammates Alexander Cohoon, Cameron Brooker and Erin Little finished third with a time of 3:27.93, with Hungary taking gold and Germany silver.

Stirling swimmers (L-R) George Smith, Evie Davis, Rory Dickson, Lucy Grieve and David Annis competed at the competition.

Lucy, 21, who is in third year studying BSc Biology and Psychology, said: “It was so much fun. It’s always an honour to race with GB on your hat and to be surrounded by so many amazing teammates when you’re out there. I loved it and I’m very lucky to have had that experience.

“I was really happy with my 100m Fly – it was my first international individual medal – and it was lovely to get another one in the relay, setting a Scottish record as well.”
Evie, 21, who has just finished her second year studying BSc Mathematics, said: “I am really happy with the medals. It was really good fun – especially because we got a medal in the relay on the first and the last day.”

Rory, 23, who graduated from Stirling with an MSc Marketing in November following his BA Journalism, said: “It was absolutely brilliant. It was a different situation for me because I’ve just graduated – and for the medal to come so late in my career is unexpected but so enjoyable.

“It was fantastic – to be out there with Stirling teammates; it’s so good to compete with quality swimmers, but even better when they are such good friends too.”
Reflecting on his time at the University, he added: “The scholarship at Stirling is massive. The sports facility is one of the best in Europe – to have high-quality facilities like the gym just next door to the top-class training pool makes Stirling second to none.

“For anyone thinking about it, I couldn’t recommend it enough.”

Congratulations

Stirling swimmers David Annis and George Smith also competed at the Championships. The athletes are part of the coveted high-performance swim programme at Stirling – Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence. The programme is led by Head Performance Coach Ben Higson and supported by coaches Bradley Hay, Josh Williamson and Charlie Boldison.

David Bond, Head of Performance Sport at the University of Stirling, said: “A huge congratulations to Lucy, Evie and Rory on their medals in Slovakia. To secure a podium place at a major international competition is a brilliant achievement and one of which they should be immensely proud.

“David and George should also take pride in being selected for Great Britain, and I know they will have learned a lot from the experience.

“The continued success of University of Stirling swimmers in the pool is testament to the talent and hard work of the athletes, our world-class environment here at Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, and the unrivalled coaching delivered by Ben, his team and the wider support staff.”

At Stirling, athletes have access to world-class facilities, including a 50-metre pool, unrivalled outdoor space, and state-of-the-art strength and conditioning suites. In addition to its coaching and facilities, Stirling’s International Sports Scholarship Programme – one of the largest high-performance programmes in the UK – offers athletes funding support, academic flexibility, equipment and kit. It has supported hundreds of athletes since its inception in 1981 – with many competing on the world stage, including at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

Core sports include football, golf, tennis, swimming, triathlon, rugby and curling, while individual scholarships cover all Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports.

Read more about sports scholarships at the University of Stirling.