Rower Lyons is Sports Personality of the Year

11 May 2007

Rower David Lyons has been named University of Bath Sports Personality of the Year for 2007.

The 22-year-old Coach Education and Sports Development student topped a poll of his fellow students from a shortlist of four candidates.

Lyons said he was delighted to feature on the shortlist, alongside athletes such as track sprinter Craig Pickering, silver medallist at this year’s European Indoor Athletics Championships.

“I was impressed to be on the shortlist,” he said. “It was obviously nice to be applauded by so many people at the awards ceremony after I’d won.

“It’s also recognition for the sport of rowing at the University. I hope it will encourage more people to take part in the sport.”

Lyons came to the University of Bath as a basketball player, but his physique marked him out as a potential rower. He was spotted by Paul Stannard, an Amateur Rowing Association talent development and joined Great Britain Rowing’s World Class Start programme in February 2004.

He was selected as a member of Great Britain’s coxed four at the 2006 World Under-23 Championships, finishing fifth, in Belgium and went on to win a silver medal in the GB eight at the World University Championships Lithuania.

Lyons graduates from the University of Bath this summer and plans to go on to study for a Masters in London, combining that with training full-time with Great Britain’s senior squad.  His goal is to row for Great Britain at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games.

He has also played basketball for the University of Bath and coached the BUSA Championships team this year.

Lyons is one of three rowers from the University of Bath to have featured in recent GB senior or under-23 rowing teams – the others are Marcus Batemen and Adam Freeman-Pask.

Lyons was presented with his award by Professor Glynis Breakwell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath, at the Blues Awards ceremony at the Assembly Rooms.

Track sprinter Craig Pickering, swimmer Janne Schaefer and rugby player Jack Smales also featured on this year’s Sports Personality shortlist.

The ceremony also saw a number of Honorary Blues awarded to people who made an outstanding contribution to University student sport.

All of the members of the TeamBath netball team that won the inaugural Superleague received Honorary Blues for outstanding achievement. Netballer Sara Bayman was awarded the Tugendhat Trophy for Sporting Endeavour.

There was also an Honorary Blue for Paul Tisdale, former University of Bath head football coach and now manager at Exeter City. He also received the Ivor Powell Award for Excellence in Coaching.

Honorary Blues for Services to University Sport were awarded to Councillor Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst, former Mayor of Bath and current Chairman of Bath and North East Somerset Council, David Medlock, Managing Trustee of the Medlock Charitable Trust, and Richard Howell, Vice-President Sport of the Sports Association.
Dr Andy Wallis received an Honorary Blue for services to rowing.

The University of Bath students who took part in last year’s Zambia Project received Honorary Colours.

Full list of awards:
Sports Personality of the Year: David Lyons
The Ivor Powell Award for Coaching Excellence: Paul Tisdale
The Tugendhat Trophy for Sporting Endeavour: Sara Bayman
Martyn Hedges Award: Dr Bill Clark
Club member of the Year: Mike Parritt
Club of the Year: American football
BUSA team of the year: Badminton and  judo

Robert Beevers    Colour    American Football
Gareth Booth    Colour    American Football
Adrian Dalmedo    Colour    American Football
Andrew Gaches    Colour    American Football
Chris Gammond    Colour    American Football
Tom Marston    Colour    American Football
Paul Williams    Colour    American Football
John Hunt    Colour    Badminton
Ricky Woods    Colour    Badminton
Joshua Lenthall    Colour    Cricket
Matthew Rayner    Colour    Cricket
David Burton    Colour    Fencing
Emma Fenton    Colour    Fencing
Christopher Vanston-Rumney    Colour    Fencing
Tim Baker    Colour    Golf
Marcus Latchford    Colour    Golf
Andy Shakespear    Colour    Golf
Ruth Baker    Colour    Hockey
James Brunton    Colour    Hockey
Issy Bucknall    Colour    Hockey
Penny Court    Colour    Hockey
Sally Crooks    Colour    Hockey
Heather Driscoll    Colour    Hockey
Rachael Evans    Colour    Hockey
Alex Fillmore    Colour    Hockey
Melanie Greaves    Colour    Hockey
Suzannah Hunt    Colour    Hockey
Peter Mitchell    Colour    Hockey
Rachel  Pain    Colour    Hockey
Alison Perrio    Colour    Hockey
Charles Pine    Colour    Hockey
Lisa Proctor    Colour    Hockey
Julie Sheen    Colour    Hockey
Rachel Thomas    Colour    Hockey
Carl Williams    Colour    Hockey
Katy Sumner    Colour    Judo
Sarah Cameron    Colour    Karate
Louise Ogden    Colour    Karate
Graham Dickinson    Colour    Latin & Ballroom Dancing
Kirsty Collins    Colour    Netball
Sally Frith    Colour    Netball
Joanne Garwood    Colour    Netball
Adele Modeste    Colour    Netball
Jessica Morgan-Smith    Colour    Netball
Theresa Royles    Colour    Netball
Naomi Taylor    Colour    Netball
Andrew Brett    Colour    Rowing
John Clay    Colour    Rowing
Tim Williams    Colour    Rowing
Andrew Lawrence    Colour    Rugby
Rhidian McGuire    Colour    Rugby
Adrian Vaughan    Colour    Squash & Hockey
Stefanie Biller    Colour    Swimming
Cecilia Razeto    Colour    Swimming
Guy Sherwin    Colour    Swimming
Richard Webb    Colour    Swimming
Nicola Broadbent    Colour    Tennis
Eva Wong    Colour    Tennis
Katharine Kauth    Colour    Trampolining
Laura Ostler    Colour    Trampolining
Helen Meckiffe    Colour    Waterpolo
Samantha Standeven    Colour    Waterpolo
John Wood    Colour    Waterpolo
Andrew Wright    Half Blue    Badminton
Angela Crowther    Half Blue    Canoe Polo
Paul Byrne    Half Blue    Cricket
Jonathan Herron    Half Blue    Judo
Daniel Murphy    Half Blue    Judo
Daniel Stanley    Half Blue    Judo
Anna Davidson    Half Blue    Rowing
Patrick Hogben    Half Blue    Rowing
Heather Stanning     Half Blue    Rowing
Mark Stockbridge    Half Blue    Sailing
Chris Cozens    Half Blue    Swimming
Daniel Hester    Half Blue    Swimming
Karen Lee    Half Blue    Swimming
Sarah-Louise Paton    Half Blue    Swimming
Stefano Razeto    Half Blue    Swimming
Nathan Renshaw    Half Blue    Swimming
Terina Taite    Half Blue    Swimming
Alexander Miotto    Half Blue    Tennis
Barry McGuigan    Half Blue    Volleyball
Kes Metitiri    Blue    Association Football
Carl Baxter    Blue    Badminton
Heather Olver    Blue    Badminton
Amy Williams    Blue    Bob Skeleton
Elaine Hughes    Blue    Fencing
Marcon Bezzina    Blue    Judo
Gemma Gibbons    Blue    Judo
Janine Johnson    Blue    Judo
Katrina McDonald    Blue    Judo
Tom Reed    Blue    Judo
Adam Freeman-Pask    Blue    Rowing
David Lyons    Blue    Rowing
Lee Forster    Blue    Swimming
Cameron Gibson    Blue    Swimming
Darren Mew    Blue    Swimming
Chris Gammond    Honorary Colour    American Football
Thomas Baker    Honorary Colour    Clay Pigeon
Matthew Rayner    Honorary Colour    Hockey
Christopher McCorquodale    Honorary Colour    Lifesaving
Ben Charles    Honorary Colour    Motor Sport & Canoe
Greg Kinsey    Honourary Colour    Rowing
Alan Newman    Honorary Colour    Rowing
Fiona Bruce    Honorary Colour    Service to University Sport
Sam Bruce    Honorary Colour    Service to University Sport
Kirsty Collins     Honorary Colour    Service to University Sport
Nicholas Fisher    Honorary Colour    Service to University Sport
Erica McIntosh    Honorary Colour    Service to University Sport
Kat Southwell    Honorary Colour    Service to University Sport
George Taylor    Honorary Colour    Service to University Sport
Nicola Zeal    Honorary Colour    Service to University Sport
Oliver Simmonds    Honorary Colour    Sub Aqua
Mark Vowles    Honorary Colour    Sub Aqua
Amy Dyer    Honorary Colour    Zambia Project
Emma Godlee    Honorary Colour    Zambia Project
Aled Lloyd    Honorary Colour    Zambia Project
Sally Taylor    Honorary Colour    Zambia Project
Jamie Thomson    Honorary Colour    Zambia Project
Charlie Twyman    Honorary Colour    Zambia Project
Joanna Binns    Honorary Blue    Netball
Ursula Bowers     Honorary Blue    Netball
Pamela Cookey    Honorary Blue    Netball
Sonya Crowe    Honorary Blue    Netball
Rachel Dunn    Honorary Blue    Netball
Clare Elsley    Honorary Blue    Netball
Gemma Fletcher    Honorary Blue    Netball
Stacey Francis    Honorary Blue    Netball
Jess Garland    Honorary Blue    Netball
Tamsin Greenway    Honorary Blue    Netball
Geva Mentor    Honorary Blue    Netball
Adele Modeste    Honorary Blue    Netball
Bianca Modeste    Honorary Blue    Netball
Chrissy Munro    Honorary Blue    Netball
Asha Tett    Honorary Blue    Netball
Paul Tisdale    Honorary Blue    Service to Football
Dr Andy Wallis     Honorary Blue    Service to the Rowing Club
Richard Howell    Honorary Blue    Service to University Sport
Councillor Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst    Honorary Blue    Service to University Sport
David Medlock    Honorary Blue    Service to University Sport

The University of Bath has one of the leading university sports departments in the UK. Under its Team Bath brand, its success is based on the expertise and dedication of staff, and its excellent facilities, used by the community and Olympic medal winners alike.

Members of the media who require further information can contact the Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight Ltd on (01225) 383518 or see the Team Bath website.

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