None
Wednesday, 24 February 2016

A PhD student at The University of Western Australia with a passion for community health has been awarded this year’s Amy Gillett Cycling Scholarship.

Louisa Lobigs, 25, is completing a PhD through UWA’s School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health.

Her research focused on biomarker and blood volume variations in relation to the Athlete’s Biological Passport, an anti-doping tool which acts as electronic record for professional sports people, collating blood and urine samples over time.

Amy Gillett was an Australian women’s cycling team member who was killed in 2005 while on a training ride in Germany. Amy’s husband, parents and friends set up The Amy Gillett Foundation with a mission to reduce the incidence of serious injury and death of bike riders in Australia.

A member of the Holden Women’s Cycling Team member, Ms Lobigs will follow in the footsteps of previous scholarship recipients, serving as an ambassador of the Amy Gillett Foundation.

The scholarship provides her with the opportunity to live, train and compete in Europe, racing for the High5 Australian Women’s Road Development Team.

After applying for the scholarship for a third consecutive year, Ms Lobigs, who trains in Canberra and lives in Curtin in WA, was thrilled to discover she was successful this time around.

“It’s a real honour, a lot of amazing athletes have had it in the past and it’s inspiring to be able to represent Amy and the work of the Amy Gillett Foundation,” she said.

Her role as scholarship recipient will involve supporting the Amy Gillett Foundation’s mission of creating safer bike riding in Australia and vision of zero bike rider fatalities.

Juggling a PhD and training commitments is challenging but provides great perspective, with Ms Lobig riding between 300km and 600 km each week across six or seven days.

“I love training and that takes up a good part of my day, but I find the Uni work gives me the balance I need to stay motivated in my training and at University,” Ms Lobigs said.

The Amy Gillett Cycling Scholarship is awarded annually on fulfilment criteria that includes cycling achievements and future potential, work and study experience, aspirations, personal and team qualities, and other sporting background.

Caption: Scholarship winner Louisa Lobigs is to the left of the image in the grey and red kit.

Media references

Louisa Lobigs (+61 4) 55 555 302
David Stacey (UWA Media and Public Relations Manager) (+61 8) 6488 3229 / (+61 4) 32 637 716

Tags

Channels
Awards and Prizes — Media Statements — Students
Groups
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences — Safety Health and Wellbeing — School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology — School of Medicine and Pharmacology — School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health — Science Matters