Peaty awarded honorary doctorate

Downhill racer Steve Peat has been awarded an honorary doctorate by a British university.

He was made a Doctor of Sheffield Hallam University yesterday in recognition of his outstanding contribution to sporting excellence, to charity and to his home city of Sheffield.

Steve’s award was conferred at a ceremony where he was joined by hundreds of graduates from the university’s Faculty of Health and Well Being.

The Santa Cruz Syndicate star said: “This is a great privilege. I never, ever expected to be here. Riding bikes has taken me to some amazing places and given me an awesome life, and this has added to that.”

Steve, known as Peaty, has been riding since he was three and racing professionally since the age of 19. The former plumber was World Cup champion in 2002, 2004 and 2006 and has come second in the World Championships four times, in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2008. 

In addition to his achievements on the track, Steve and his supporters have raised more than £28,500 for the Teenage Cancer Unit at Sheffield’s Weston Park Hospital through their annual Wharncliffe Weekender mountain bike event. He is also developing his own academy which will encourage children to get involved with mountain biking.