Student’s sporting event nominated for BT Sport Industry award
A student at Loughborough University London has been nominated for a BT Sport Industry award for launching a marathon swimming event.
Diccon Loy, who is studying MSc in Sports Business and Innovation, started his own business, Marathon Swims, after working for one of the UK’s largest sports agencies for over a decade, creating and delivering sports events.
The enterprise has been shortlisted for Participant Event of the Year.
Marathon Swims is a challenge event for both teams and individuals. Participants can choose from a range of distances – 1km, 5km or 10km - and swim against fellow competitors.
Last year’s event sold out, with over 500 people taking part at the London Aquatics Centre, which was also the venue of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.
The event will take place again later this year on the 10 and 11 November and those who are interested can register online now.
Of the nomination, Diccon said: “To be shortlisted for such a prestigious award as Participation Event of the Year in the BT Sport Industry Awards is a fantastic achievement for the whole Marathon Swims team.
“Previous winners include the London Marathon and parkrun, and this year's nominations include many other high profile, major events. So, to be in this company as a small start-up supported by Loughborough University makes the achievement feel even more special.”
The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony tonight (26 April) in London.
For more information about the awards, visit the website.
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2020 QS World University Rankings and top in the country for its student experience in the 2018 THE Student Experience Survey.
Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 4th in the Guardian University League Table 2020, 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and 8th in The UK Complete University Guide 2020.
Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.
Specialising exclusively in postgraduate-level study, Loughborough University London is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers cutting-edge master’s and PhD degrees, as well as business collaboration, research and enterprise opportunities.
The seven specialist institutes at Loughborough University London include: Design Innovation, Digital Technologies, Diplomacy and International Governance, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, International Management, Media and Creative Industries, and Sport Business. Close industry partnerships with a wealth of leading businesses and creative organisations means teaching and learning is informed by real-life challenges and driven by true industry pressures.