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Ben Leitch: From Winning Students 100 to the World

Scotland’s national sport scholarship programme, Winning Students 100, aims to support student athletes through university or college and help recipients leapfrog into a bright future beyond their studies.

Reflecting on their academic and sporting journey, and the help offered by Winning Students 100 along the way, is wheelchair basketball scholar Ben Leitch.

Having graduated from the University of Abertay with a degree in Fitness, Nutrition and Health this summer, Ben now has his sights set on a move to Europe to pursue his passion and compete at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games – coupling all of this with personal training and nutrition work.

Ben uncovered the world of wheelchair basketball after being diagnosed with a rare bone cancer and the sport quite simply “saved his life”. This is his story.

Applications for the Winning Students 100 programme for 2025-26 close on Friday 19 September. Eligible students can receive grants of up to £3,000 to support their goals over the coming year. Visit https://apply.winningstudents-scotland.ac.uk