Australian Student-Athletes shine at Commonwealth Games

QUEENSLAND – Australia’s university students showed their depth of talent at the recent Delhi Commonwealth Games, bringing home a number of medals in their specialist events.

At least 27 of the 177 medals won at the Games were won by students, a fantastic result despite current political uncertainty with regards to funding for activities on Australian university campuses, such as elite sports programs. 

Australia University Sport chief executive officer Don Knapp can see how opportunities offered at university level lead to medal winning performances for many of Australia’s top athletes.

“Students such as sprinter Sean Wroe (Swinburne University of Technology) gained valuable international experience when he won gold at the World University Summer Games in Serbia last year, and he has now gone on to win Commonwealth Games gold in the 4 x 400 m relay and silver in the 400 m,” Mr Knapp said.

“We have many other students who are studying towards a tertiary qualification while training and competing in sport at an elite level, relying on the support of their university and funding from government and sponsors,” added Mr Knapp.

The Commonwealth Games successes come at a difficult time for university sport in Australia, with the Student Services and Amenities Bill about to be reintroduced to Parliament, possibly during the current sitting of Parliament, following an unsuccessful reintroduction last year.

Over 80 of the athletes and officials in the 600 strong Australian Commonwealth Games contingent have been, or currently are attending university in Australia while training and competing in their sport at an elite level, and selections are currently underway for the 2011 World University Summer Games to be held in Shenzhen, China.

(Source: Sarah Wordsworth, AUS Media & Marketing Coordinator)

2010 Commonwealth Games medallists who are also past competitors at a World University Summer Games or World University Championship:

Luke Adams – 2^nd, 20 km walk

Alana Boyd – 1^st, Pole vault

Brendan Cole – 1^st, 4 x 400 m relay, 2^nd, 400 m hurdles

Steven Hooker – 1^st, Pole vault

Joel Milburn – 1^st, 4 x 400 m

Dale Stevenson, 3^rd, Shot put

Sean Wroe – 1^st, 4 x 400 m relay, 2^nd 400 m

Joshua Jefferis – 1^st, Team gymnastics, 1^st, Individual parallel bars, 3^rd, Individual all round

Briony Cole – 2^nd, 3 m synchronised diving, 3^rd, 10 m synchronised diving

Alexandra Croak – 3^rd, 10 m platform, 1^st, 10 m synchronised diving

Grant Nel – 3^rd, 3 m springboard

Patrick Jaele – 3^rd, 3 m synchronised diving

Scott Robinson – 3^rd, 1 m springboard

Olivia Wright – 3^rd, 3 m springboard

Leith Brodie – 3^rd, 200 m breaststroke

Sarah Katsoulis – 3^rd, 200 m breaststroke

Cameron Prosser – 1st, 4 x 100 m freestyle relay

Kyle Richardson – 1^st, 4 x 100 m freestyle relay

Brenton Rickard – 1^st, 200 m breaststroke, 2^nd, 50 m breaststroke, 3^rd, 100 m breaststroke