Sarah Deegan
Final year student of Bachelor of Engineering Technology
Degree in Mechanical Engineering aims high!!
As a 21 year old Elite Sports Scholar, I am studying Mechanical Engineering in DIT Bolton Street. The main purpose of this letter is to inform you of my main sporting interest and to seek sponsorship to help me achieve my goals of representing my country at National, International and World Championship level in the coming years. I am currently a member of the DIT Archery Club, Dublin Archers, Athboy Archery Club in County Meath, the Irish Amateur Archery Association and F.I.T.A., the world archery body.
I began archery in December 2003 when my father brought me to a local Archery Coach for introductory lessons. The following months involved a lot of effort and training on both my own part and my coaches' in order to bring me to a standard high enough to enter my first competition. Since that time I am proud to say that I have steadily worked and succeeded at all levels in Archery and I am presently a member of Irish senior squad.
Some of my achievements to date include:
2004 Irish Indoor Schools Champion
Irish Outdoor Schools Champion
Irish Indoor Junior Champion
2005 Irish Indoor Schools Champion
Irish Open Indoor Champion
Irish Junior Team Member
2nd Team Event Junior Euronations, Belfast
2006 Irish Indoor Schools Champion
Irish Outdoor Schools Champion
Irish Open Indoor Compound Champion
Set 5 Irish Outdoor Junior Records
Member of the Junior Irish Team
2nd Team Event Junior Euronations, Leicester
2007 Irish Indoor Senior Compound Champion
Member Of Junior Irish Squad
Member of Senior Irish Squad
Captain University of Limerick Archery Team
Captain Junior Irish Squad
1st Place Junior Euronations Individual
12th Place Senior Euronations Individual
1st Ladies Compound Intervarsity League
12 new Irish Records Set
Meath Local Sports Partnership Bursary Recipient
2008 Member of Senior Irish "A" Squad
National Indoor Champion
National Outdoor Champion
9th Place Senior Euronations Individual
2nd Irish Open Championships
1st Ladies Compound Intervarsity League
Secretary DIT Archery Club
2009
8th Place Senior Euronations Individual
1st Place Ranking Round Belfast Premier, World Ranking Event
1st Place Matches Belfast Premier, World Ranking Event
National Indoor Champion
1st Ladies Compound Intervarsity League
Chairperson DIT Archery Club
Member of DIT Sports Committee
Outstanding Contribution to Sport in DIT Award
This year Sarah has been nominated to attend the World Student Archery Championships which are being held in China in September 2010. In order to achieve her goal she has increased the volume of training so that she can reach the necessary scores to secure a place. Currently Sarah is studying full time for Mechanical Engineering and combining this with two to four hours a day of training as well as gym sessions. This requires huge organisation and commitment. Sarah trains 5 nights a week in 3 different clubs in order to maintain her current fitness level and hopefully progress her shooting to the next level.
This is accompanied by competitions most weekends. At the moment, she is in the process of upgrading the equipment. It is expensive, but
necessary process in order for Sarah to move up the ranking ladder and to achieve the goal of shooting in the World Student Championships this year. At major competitions it is essential for competitors to have two sets of equipment which are the same. This is to allow for any problems with equipment during the completion. If there is not enough time to fix equipment between matches, then archers can switch to their second set up.