Athlete Information:
Name: Gwenllian Northall
Age: 20
Sport: Judo
Course: Bilingual Sport and Physical Education
Year of study: 1
Athlete Profile
I have been competing in judo for five years now. I am currently the Welsh Senior U63kg Champion this being my 5th Welsh national title. I have competed at European competitions in Italy, Spain, and Lithuania, along with attending numerous training camps abroad. I have won medals in many domestic competitions in Britain which gives me points towards my British rankings. I'm currently a first Dan working towards my second with the hope of achieving it this year. I currently balance lectures with 13 training sessions a week.
What difference has the scholarship made?
By receiving my scholarship, the payments made to my accommodation meant I could save my student loan and self-fund to some well needed trips abroad. I also received a Study First bursary which, combined with my Sports Scholarship, meant I could chose a combination of Campus Cash and the Catering allowance. The Catering allowance has meant I can eat well between sessions and means that when I am struggling for time, I can just grab something. As part of my Scholarship I chose to opt on to strength and conditioning with Dai Watts and Chris Edwards. This has by far been the best part of the scholarship for me as I lacked a lot of strength which is necessary for my sport. Dai and Chris are helpful and great supportive coaches. The option for physio and massages has also been really helpful with aches and pains so I can catch them before it effects my training.
