The University of Reading is proud to have played its part in Great Britain's fantastic 2008 Olympic Games success, with its students and alumni combining to add three medals to the team's impressive haul. Battling it out in Beijing were four members of the University Boat Club (RUBC) and Reading alumnus Jonty Clarke, part of Great Britain's men's hockey team.
(Media-Newswire.com) - The University of Reading is proud to have played its part in Great Britain's fantastic 2008 Olympic Games success, with its students and alumni combining to add three medals to the team's impressive haul.
Battling it out in Beijing were four members of the University Boat Club ( RUBC ) and Reading alumnus Jonty Clarke, part of Great Britain's men's hockey team.
Making waves in the water were current PhD student Anna Bebington and alumni Debbie Flood ( 2004 ), Ric Egington ( 2002 ) and Natasha Page ( 2007 ).
In the double sculls, Anna and her rowing partner Elise Laverick claimed a terrific bronze medal , staging a spirited fight back during the second half of the race and finishing just 0.23 seconds behind the winners from New Zealand.
Debbie Flood and her team-mates in the quadruple sculls put in a sterling performance picking up a superb silver medal, just being pipped at the wiining post by host nation China who finished only just over a second in front.
The men's eight with Richard Egington brought to a close a hugely successful Olympic regatta for both the Great Britain team and the University of Reading, the crew winning the silver medal in a tightly fought battle with Olympic champions USA and world champions and eventual gold medal winners Canada.
Natasha Page and her women's eight crew finished in a well earned fifth place, a fantastic achievement considering the team suffered a disruption early on race day, when illness forced the substitutions of two of the crew.
Away from the water, the Great Britain men's hockey team which included Jonty Clarke just failed to reached the semi-finals, and play Korea in the fifth-sixth place classification match.
Iain Akhurst, Director of Sports and Recreation at the University of Reading said: Congratulations to all University of Reading representatives that competed in the Games. We are extremely proud of our excellent facilities and support structure that enables these highly driven and skilful athletes to become world-class in their sport.
They are a wonderful inspiration to our current and future students hoping to make the Great Britain team in the 2012 London Olympic Games."
Ends
For all University of Reading media enquiries please contact James Barr, Press Officer tel 0118 378 7115 or email j.w.barr@reading.ac.uk
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