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The University of Western Australia is proud to announce 27 year old Bachelor of Science student Holly Barratt was today awarded one of the highest Australian university sporting honours, the 2015 Female Athlete of the Year. This achievement caps off a strong year for Holly who also received the UWA Sports Star of the Year, and Rockingham Sports Star of the Year honours.

Holly, who is an elite swimmer, was one of 10 UWA students selected to represent Australia in the Uniroos team at the Summer Universiade (World University Games) in Korea (3-14 July) where she won gold in the 50m backstroke, and bronze in the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle events which proved her to be Australia’s most successful athlete at the games.

“It really caps off a strong year for me. Going to Korea to compete in the World University Games was the best week I have had in my career and an amazing experience,” Holly said during the award presentation.

The flood of honours doesn’t stop there for Holly, who has recently been nominated for the prestigious International University Sports Federation (FISU) Daegu Scholarship, which recognises excellence in University sport, and a winner (one male and one female) is selected from each continental region, with recipients to be announced in December.

“My swimming has really improved over the last few years but I wasn’t expecting to achieve a sporting award of this calibre. I feel honoured and excited that my achievements have been recognised.”

With her eyes firmly set on achieving a place in the Australian Olympic swimming team for Rio 2016, Holly has stepped up her training and hopes to beat more personal bests at summer swim meets including the Australia Short Course Swimming Championships last week in Sydney.

“Next year is the selection for the Olympics. I am training to be the best swimmers I can be and if I was selected that would be a dream come true,” she said.

Media references

Nicole West, UWA Sport, Marketing and Communications Officer, (08) 6488 4309, [email protected]