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Abi Burton

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Abi Burton
Date of birth (2000-03-09) 9 March 2000 (age 24)
Place of birthCastleford, West Yorkshire, England
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight12 st 4 lb (78 kg)
Rugby union career
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
– Gloucester-Hartpury Women ()
2020-2022 Wasps Women ()
National sevens teams
Years Team Comps
2019 - Present England 7s
2021 Great Britain 7s
Correct as of 01 August 2021

Abi Burton (born 9 March 2000) is an English rugby union player. Burton represented Great Britain in rugby sevens at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games and 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

Early life

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From Castleford, West Yorkshire, the daughter of Halifax Panthers and Bradford Bulls player Danny Burton and his wife Sarah.[1][2] Her twin brothers Joe and Oli Burton both played for Leeds Rhinos Academy before Joe signed for Bradford Bulls.[3] She was a school friend of professional footballer Jamie Shackleton.[4]

After completing her A Levels at Hartpury College,[5] Burton went on to graduate with a degree in Sport and Exercise Science from St Mary's University, Twickenham in 2023, having studied on a scholarship.[6]

Career

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Burton studied at Hartpury College, captained the U18 Hartpury side that won the National Schools Sevens, and came third in the 2017 Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament in Japan. Burton first played in the Premier 15s for Gloucester-Hartpury Women.[7] Burton captained the England women's national rugby sevens team in the Kharkiv 7s, part of the 2019 Rugby Europe Women's Sevens Grand Prix Series.[8] In September 2020, she joined Wasps Ladies.[9]

In June 2021 she was confirmed in the Great Britain Rugby Sevens squad for the delayed 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.[10]

In May 2023 Burton was awarded the Blyth Spirit award by the Rugby Rugby Players Association.[11]

In June 2024, she was named as a reserve for the British squad at the 2024 Olympic Games.[12] She was drafted into the team during the tournament when Amy Wilson-Hardy was withdrawn on medical grounds.[13] The team finished seventh.[14]

Personal life

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Burton had a period of ill health in 2022 with Autoimmune encephalitis spending 76 days in hospital including 25 days in a coma receiving plasma exchanges. She lost 3 stone (19 kg) in weight and had to learn to walk and talk again, had seizures, and was initially misdiagnosed as experiencing psychotic episodes.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "First she was sectioned, then put in a coma, now Abi Burton is aiming for Paris Olympics". The Daily Telegraph.
  2. ^ "Sporting rugby family the Burtons are pushing each other to the top". Yorkshire Post.
  3. ^ "Abi Burton, whose brother Joe plays for Bradford, raring to go at Olympics". The Telegraph & Argus.
  4. ^ "Abi Burton exclusive interview: 'I had muscles bigger than most boys at high school - and got picked on because of it'". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Abigail Burton". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Sport Scholars: Abi Burton". St Mary's University, Twickenham. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Introducing Wasp Ladies' Abi Burton, from Wakefield, who will be making her debut in the Tokyo Olympics 2021 rugby sevens match against ROC and New Zealand". Yorkshire Post.
  8. ^ "Abi Burton". TeamGB.
  9. ^ "Exclusive: England Sevens star Abi Burton on crowdfunding their Olympic dream and fighting for change". Talkingrugbyunion.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  10. ^ "RFU". Englandrugby.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  11. ^ Sansom, Tom (18 May 2023). ""Inspiring Duo" – Ed Slater and Abi Burton Win Rugby Players Association Award". Ruck. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  12. ^ Southcombe, Matt (19 June 2024). "Welsh speedster Jasmine Joyce makes history with Team GB Paris Olympics call-up". ITV.com. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Abi Burton makes Olympic comeback as Amy Wilson Hardy withdrawn". rugbypass.com. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Around the Games: Day Four of Paris 2024". Team GB. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Abi Burton: GB rugby sevens Olympian wrongly sectioned and spent 25 days in coma due to immune disorder". BBC Sport.
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