Paralympian Maisie Summers-Newton hopes Northampton university scholarship will bring more success

  • Anglia
Maisie Summers-Newton GBR celebrates after winning the Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM6 Swimming Final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre during day two of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Japan. Credit: Olympic Information Service.
Maisie Summers-Newton won two golds at the Paralympics in Tokyo in 2021. Credit: Olympic Information Services.

A university boasting a Paralympic medal-winning swimmer and a Team GB archer among its students hopes its new scholarship will make it the go-to place for elite athletes.

Paralympian Maisie Summers-Newton is one of 15 young sports stars benefiting from the scheme at the University of Northampton where students get access to state-of-the-art equipment to improve their performances.

The double gold-medal-winning swimmer, who was born in Wellingborough, hopes the support she will receive will help her achieve even more.

The 19-year-old said her course at the university allowed her to train alongside and learn from athletes from a wide range of sports.

"Swimmers, we're kind of up and down all the time," she said. "The support I have at my club is amazing - we're such good friends - so to create new friends here in the same sporting environment but with different sports as well is really nice.

"I have never ever worked alongside someone who does archery, football, all different sports."

Maisie Summers-Newton training at the University of Northampton where she is among the first to benefit from a new scholarship. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Students on the scholarship are given access to specialist equipment including glasses that can analyse an athlete's gaze, and a barbell rack that shows how much pressure is being forced downwards.

Archer Ruby Paul hopes it will give her the boost she needs to secure her place on Team GB for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

"People just think we're just flinging sticks down a range, but no, we have a lot of strength work to do," she said. "And sometimes cardio. People sometimes say 'cardio, for archery?' but yeah, we have to do it."

Supporting the students will be Luke Callis, a sport scientist who joined the university last year from Sheffield United Football Club where he worked with the academy.

He is overseeing the scholarship and wants to make programme an important player when it comes to training elite athletes.