Member Association News: Australian Olympic Student-Athletes Perform
September 26th, 2008
With the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games now over, Australian University Sport (AUS) is proud to announce that of the 149 Olympic medals brought home from Beijing by Australians, half were awarded to past or present students that have ties to the Australian University Sector. Taking into account each individual in team sports and relays, 149 medals were received by Australians and 71 of them went to an athlete with a link to a university. AUS figures released last month indicated that out of the 433 athletes competing at the Olympics, 201 are currently studying, deferred or have graduated from a university. This figure does not include Team Officials such as medical staff, coaches, equestrian veterinarians and administrators, most who also have a tertiary education. “These numbers are up considerably from previous Olympiads and there is clear evidence that high performance athletes are increasingly combining tertiary education with their sporting careers. This is also evidence that universities in Australia are capable of providing high performance support services and facilities on campus for elite athletes,” stated AUS CEO Don Knapp. “Our major concern is whether or not this positive pattern will be sustained considering a deterioration of sporting facilities and services caused by VSU legislation; these cuts risk reversing recent student-athlete trends in Australia,” added Knapp. A number of the aforementioned athletes participating at the recent Beijing Olympics have represented AUS in World University Games and Championship events. 2008 Olympic medallists who have represented AUS include; Steve Hooker, 2008 Olympic Gold medallist in the Men’s Pole Vault, was a RMIT University student and represented AUS at the 2003 World University Games in South Korea. David Crawshay, 2008 Olympic Gold medallist in the Men’s Rowing Double Skull, was a student at The University of Melbourne and represented AUS at the 2000 World University Championships for Rowing in Poland. Briony Cole, 2008 Olympic Silver medallist in the Women’s Synchronised 10m Platform Diving, was a student at Deakin University and represented AUS at the 2001 and 2005 World University Games in China and Turkey. Jennifer Screen, 2008 Olympic Silver medallist in the Women’s Basketball, was a student at The University of South Australia and represented AUS at the 2005 World University Games in Turkey.
