“Doing the sport you love and having people support you makes your years as an athlete and a student unforgettable”
Sussexsport Sport Scholar and Life Sciences student Katrin-Maria Zhivkova (Kat) is a sabre fencer. She won a bronze medal at the national British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) competition in February this year.
I am a sabre fencer. My highlight of the year was winning bronze at the national BUCS competition in February, where student athletes from universities across the whole of the UK competed in a range of sports. My other achievements include titles in Bulgarian national competitions, reaching twenty-sixth place in the Cadet World Championships, and claiming seventh place with the Bulgarian team in the Junior World Championships.
The Sports Scholarship Scheme has helped me to continue competing at an international level and develop myself physically and mentally as a fencer. Sussexsport provide great facilities for all sports and give you the opportunity to meet many new people, make friends, and join teams and societies.
Without the financial support of the scheme it would be nearly impossible for me to attend away-competitions. The scholarship has helped to pay for accommodation, flights, competition entry fees and more.
Sport at Sussex has made my student experience amazing: being part of a team, socialising and traveling with your teammates, doing the sport you love and having people support you is what makes your years as an athlete and a student unforgettable. The coaches, sports mentors and everyone involved in the scheme have made me feel appreciated, motivated, strong and self-confident.
I’d encourage anyone who might be interested to apply for the Scholarship Scheme to do it without any hesitation or concerns. The team is so friendly and the scheme will help you to balance studying and doing your sport and improve your athletic performance.
Applications for Sussexsport’s Sports Scholarship Scheme are open for the 2020/21 academic year. Find out more and apply online now.
