Aberdeen City and Shire is backing local swimming champion Hannah Miley, one of the region’s brightest stars for the 2012 Olympics, by funding a sponsorship package through Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University Sports Scholar Scheme.
Hannah (19), from Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, is the current European record holder and British champion for the 400m individual medley and the British champion for the 200m breast stroke and 200m individual medley. Earlier this month she won gold in the 400m individual medley at the Barcelona and Canet legs of the Mare Nostrum Tour, breaking a new meeting record in Canet. She also clinched a gold in the 200m individual medley in Barcelona and was placed third in the 200m freestyle at Canet. Hannah also competed in the Beijing Olympics last year where she was placed sixth in the 400m individual medley.
The four-year sponsorship will enable Hannah to continue training for her medal quest at the 2012 Olympics, while studying for a degree in sport and exercise science at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen as an RGU:SPORT scholar. The sponsorship will also contribute towards Hannah’s travel, accommodation and additional costs when competing in events in the lead-up to the Olympics.
Hannah said: “The sponsorship is a dream come true for me as it enables me to have fantastic training facilities, but remain in Aberdeen City and Shire, which is just a great place to be. Many sports scholars choose to move to America for their training, and I had been made some tempting offers, but I chose Robert Gordon University because I love being at home. The pool is really first class and an ideal environment for training, and it’s so easy to fit in the training schedule with my lectures. The facilities in the region have allowed me to get this far, and with the added support of Aberdeen City and Shire regional identity sponsorship, I hope I can go all the way in my swimming career.”
To coincide with the announcement of the sponsorship package, a poster campaign featuring
an image of Hannah with the slogan ‘Aberdeen City and Shire backing Hannah Miley to 2012’ will be launched so that a high level of regional pride can be built around the rising star.
Emma Watt, brand manager for Aberdeen City and Shire, said that Hannah would be an ideal international ambassador for the region: “We believe it is vitally important to invest in our young talent, and Hannah’ s dedication and positive attitude, not to mention her winning performances, will act as a real inspiration to other youngsters in the area. We also wanted to encourage Hannah in her decision to stay on her home territory – she absolutely loves living in the region, and Robert Gordon University provides the elite training facilities which are already helping Hannah show she is the best swimmer in the country. We hope that the region sends out a really powerful message that if you want to achieve, it is possible in Aberdeen City and Shire”
Hannah will benefit from a package of tailor-made programmes devised to support her needs, sport discipline and academic course requirements within Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. She will also have access to a private lane in the swimming pool at RGU:SPORT whenever she needs it and a private room close to the pool.
Director of Aberdeen’s RGU:SPORT, Filippo Antoniazzi commented: “I think it’s great that Hannah has not only chosen Robert Gordon University and Aberdeen City and Shire against going to the USA, but also that she has chosen us above some of the bigger sports-focused universities in England. We now have a growing pool of young elite sportsmen and women who are recognising that we have the facilities needed to equip them to compete on a world class stage. Youngsters like Hannah, and Laura Murray, our golfing star, currently ranked number two amateur in Scotland, will only help our growing reputation as one of the premier sports universities in the UK.”
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