UWS is extremely proud to share the amazing news of new student, Kayleigh Haggo’s fantastic achievement as she brings home a silver medal in racerunning after competing in the Berlin 2018 WPA European Championships.

Kayleigh, a sports coaching and development student at the University’s Ayr Campus, represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the event and has put racerunning – a sport which was introduced to the championships for the very first time in Berlin this month – firmly in the spotlight after her remarkable performance.

Kayleigh has become an extremely successful para athlete, winning three golds in the European Paralympic Youth Games, and has set 13 world records and four national age group records in swimming, racerunning and club throw sports.

All of this is on top of Kayleigh’s studies, her jobs as a swimming teacher in Girvan, sports coach and motivational speaker, and her volunteering role with Scottish Disability Sport all while winning numerous awards for her achievements.

Ciaran O’Brien, Head of Sport and Student Engagement, said: “We are enormously proud of Kayleigh and her dedication to her sport, studies and the sporting community she’s part of, and having a very positive impact within. The championships marked the end of her competitive season for the year, and what a finale it was.

“Kayleigh has said before her ultimate goal would be to compete in the Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024, and she is a fantastic ambassador for the university, embodying everything UWS represents – dreaming, believing and achieving.

“We wish you all the very best in your upcoming sporting endeavours, Kayleigh. UWS is behind you all the way!”

To keep up-to-date with Kayleigh and her sporting achievements, you can follow her on Twitter (@kayleigh_haggo).