“Standing on the podium is a moment that I’ll cherish forever,” says Tom Dean, mechanical engineering student and double Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer. “It’s what I’ve been working towards for 15 years. It felt like a dream.”
Tom triggered the gold rush for University of Bath sportspeople at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, winning the 200m freestyle and men’s 4 x 200m relay. He’s been supported by a Bill Whiteley Sports Scholarship since 2018, which he describes as being ‘invaluable’.
“I train six days a week, making it impossible to work part-time, so the financial aid takes huge pressure off me. It’s amazing that donors are willing to help athletes at the start of their career, when they need it the most.”
From nutrition and equipment, to competition fees and travel – the cost of becoming a world-class contender is a challenge for many. At Bath, we have a proud history of supporting student-athletes to achieve their full potential.
We were the first UK university to offer sports scholarships in 1976; the alumni-supported Elite Athlete Fund provides grants for international competitions; and our Dual Career Programme offers a package of support for balancing studies and sport.
Tom adds:
“Knowing that support network is there, all the services that the University offers, gave me a great deal of confidence and allowed me to focus purely on becoming the best performer I can be.”
The triumphs at Tokyo didn’t stop there for our sports scholars. Swimmers Anna Hopkin (Thompson Educational Trust Scholar) and Calum Jarvis (ITC Scholar) also won Olympic gold, as did modern pentathlete Joe Choong (Ivor Powell Scholar).
Our sports scholars work so hard to represent their country on the greatest stage of all. Thank you for being among their biggest supporters.
