Four local football stars, all of whom play for Colchester United Ladies, are among 16 students to receive sports bursaries from the University of Essex.

The bursaries provide coaching, financial and sports science support for students competing at national or international level or who show strong evidence of having the potential to do so. This year’s recipients also include track and field athletes, a table tennis star, a trampolinist and two squash players. Thirteen of the 16 sporting stars come from Essex.

Among those receiving support are Emma Dunmore, Carman Joyce, Kerry Jacks, and Hannah Porter who all play for Colchester United Ladies. All four were part of the winning team at the 2008 Gothia Cup, the largest youth football championship in the world.

Emma Dunmore, a second-year BSc Sports and Exercise Science student, said: ‘Since I came to University I have improved considerably as an athlete mainly because the scheme has enabled me to mature as a player and has taught me the important aspects of sporting performance at the highest level.’

Two further women footballers have also been accepted on to the scheme: Laura Brooks plays for Brentwood Town Ladies where she was top goal scorer in her first season; and Emma Harrison from Hornchurch.

The new crop of sporting stars also includes third-year Clinical Physiology student Abi Embling who is ranked fifth in England in women’s table tennis. Abi, who has five national titles and plays in the Mixed British League in Division 2 and the Women’s British League in the Premier Division, was on the scheme last year.

Track and field athletes signed up for the scheme include runner David Gibbon who is in his first year of a Sports Science degree. David is ranked 34th in the UK (Under 20 Mens) for both 1500m and 3000m and won the Essex Schools Cross Country Championship in January 2008.

For more information about the sports bursary scheme see: http://www.essex.ac.uk/sport/bursaries/details.shtm.

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Notes to editors
For further information, and/or relevant pictures please contact the University of Essex Communications Office, telephone: 01206 873529 or e-mail: comms@essex.ac.uk.

A full list of those receiving sports bursaries, including their course details and former school or college, is below:

Mike Aley – Squash – 2nd year BSc Sports and Exercise Science – St Martins School, Brentwood
Laura Brooks – Women’s football – 1st year BSc Sports and Exercise Science – Palmer’s College, Grays
Farris Costin – Squash – 1st year BSc Sports and Exercise Science – Havering Sixth Form College, Hornchurch
Emma Dunmore – Women’s football – 2nd year BSc Sports and Exercise Science – Thurstable School, Tiptree
Jade Edwards – Triathlon – 1st year BSc Sports Science and Biology – The Campion School, Hornchurch
Abi Embling – Table tennis – 3rd year BSc Clinical Physiology – Peniel Academy, Brentwood
Nicola Gaisford – Athletics – 2nd year BSc Economics – Sixth Form College, Colchester
David Gibbon – Athletics – 1st year BSc Sports and Exercise Science – Philip Morant School, Colchester
Sophie Hales – Athletics – 1st year BSc Psychology – Steyning Grammar School, Steyning, West Sussex
Emma Harrison – Women’s football – 1st year BSc Sports and Exercise Science – Havering Sixth Form College, Hornchurch
Kerry Jacks – Women’s football – 1st year BSc Psychology – Thurstable School, Tiptree
Carman Joyce – Women’s football – 2nd year BSc Sports and Exercise Science – Thurstable School, Tiptree
Jade Morgan – Athletics – 1st year BSc Sports and Exercise Science – Thurstable School, Tiptree
Leron Norbert-John – Athletics – 1st year LLB Law – St Ignatius College, Enfield
Hannah Porter – Women’s football – 2nd year BSc Sports and Exercise Science – Thurstable School, Tiptree
Royston Sinclair – Trampolining – 1st year BSc Sports and Exercise Science – Weston College, Weston Super Mare