University honour for Lothersdale Paralympic gold medallist Danielle Brown (From Craven Herald)

University honour for Lothersdale Paralympic gold medallist Danielle Brown

11:00am Thursday 7th February 2013 in News By Lindsey Moore, Deputy Editor

Gold medal-winning Paralympic athlete Danielle Brown has received an honorary doctorate from the University of Leicester.

Danielle, who is from Lothersdale, is a world- leading archer in both Paralympic and able-bodied competition.

She studied for a degree in law at the University of Leicester whilst competing internationally.

The former South Craven School pupil took up archery in 2003 when she says her disability made her give up all the other sports.

She took up the compound bow and made her international debut at the 2006 IPC (International Paralympic Committee) European Championships.

She has represented Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics and the London 2012 Paralympic Games, taking home a gold medal in both.

In 2010 she won a team gold at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, where she was the first disabled competitor to represent England in an able bodied discipline.

She holds ten Paralympic world records and has been awarded an MBE for services to sport in the New Years Honours for 2013.

She has now received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Leicester University.

She said: “During my time at university, I was very grateful for the support I received.

“I took quite a bit of time away from my course to go to international events, which my tutors were more than happy to support, and I deferred my degree for a year so I could train full time for the Beijing Paralympics.

“The university also helped pay for my travel expenses in my third year so I could afford to travel to the Lilleshall National Sports Centre three times a week to train.

“I was also thrilled to receive an award from the University of Leicester in 2012, for outstanding alumni achievement which was a great honour considering the calibre of graduates from the university.

“Being awarded an honorary degree has been a fantastic end to a truly incredible year.

“It is a privilege to have my achievements recognised in such a manner.”

She added: “Whilst I was studying at the University of Leicester I won my first World Championships and the gold medal at the Beijing Paralympics, the start to my current and continuing success in archery.

“It would not have been possible to have achieved any of my accomplishments without the support I have received, and to have them recognised by the university I attended is a great honour.”