Former Olympic triple jumper Jonathan Edwards received an honorary degree from the University of Ulster today.

The athlete was awarded a Doctor of the University (DUniv) at the winter graduations at the Jordanstown campus.

In thanking the University for the award, Dr Edwards offered a humorous apology to his fellow graduates saying: “You have all worked so very hard for three or four years to get here today and all I have done is hop, skip and jump.”

The new Dr Edwards won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney Australia and at the European Cup in 1995 he set a world record in the Triple Jump of 18.29 metres, which has never been beaten.

At one point in 2002, Dr Edwards held all the gold medals for the four major championships – Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and the European Championships.

Dr Edwards said that the graduates test now was not to let their achievements define their character but to face new challenges and overcome these.

“To define ourselves by our achievements is not enough. We define our character by how we respond to our challenges, how we deal with them and overcoming the things people think about us,” he said.

The Olympic gold medallist went on to offer words of encouragement to the class of 2006 and said they should never give anything less than their full commitment to any venture and strive to achieve their goals.

“There are many people, particularly I see in sport, who are afraid to give 100% in what they do in case they find out that they are not as good as they seem. But you should not set any limits in your head,” he said.

"Every day is a constant shock. A shock that I can’t believe I have achieved what I have achieved. I feel the need to pinch myself sometimes. I always think, like I’m sure some of the academic personnel sitting behind me do, that some day someone is going to catch me out and realise that I am not as good, or as smart, as I appear to be; and everything will come crashing down around me.”

Following his retirement from competition in 2003, he has had a successful broadcasting career as a sports commentator and host of BBC’s Songs of Praise.

ENDS

PODCAST: listen to Jonathan Edwards' acceptance speech

http://news.ulster.ac.uk/podcasts/JonathanEdwards.mp3

CAPTION:Jonathan Edwards met Ulster sportswoman Maeve Kyle at the graduation ceremony in Jordanstown

For further information, please contact:

David Young
Telephone: 028 90366074
Email: David Young