News Archive

The University of Western Australia celebrated its Rio Olympic representatives at a breakfast event last week with former Hockeyroo and Olympic gold medallist Sally Carbon among a panel of special guests.

UWA has one student and four graduates representing Australia at next month’s Olympic Games with science student George Ford, of Cottesloe representing Australia in the men’s water polo team. He joins engineering/commerce graduate Fergus Kavanagh, of Nedlands, who will make his third Olympic appearance for the Kookaburras – Australia’s men’s hockey team.

Commerce graduate Deborah Tsai, of Waterford, has been selected in the synchronised swimming team and physical and health education graduate Adam Commens, of Subiaco, will coach Australia’s women’s hockey team, the Hockeyroos, in his last international tournament before stepping down.

Law/commerce graduate Heidi Gan, of Dianella, will again represent Malaysia in the open water swimming event.

Another seven athletes attending Rio are members of UWA-affiliated clubs, including UWA Fencing Club president Tuko Maia, appointed Rio 2016 Event Test: Fencing Team World Championships; UWA Swimming Club members Blair Evans and Tamsin Cook; and UWA Hockey Club members Dan Beale, Jodie Kenny, Georgia Morgan and Kirsty Dwyer.

UWA Sport Board Member Sally Carbon and former Australian water polo player and UWA graduate Richard Pengelly formed a discussion panel with Australian water polo player and UWA student Lilian Hedges, UWA graduate Steve Lawrence, executive director at the Western Australian Institute of Sport and Tuko Maia, to investigate what it takes to play sport at the elite level, and how their time at UWA impacted their individual journeys.

UWA Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Kent Anderson said the University was proud of its student and alumni who were participating in the Rio Olympic Games.

“They clearly demonstrate that the university experience is a great training ground for both sport and employment,” Professor Anderson said.

“We strongly believe in the scholar-athlete idea. Strong athletes make great students and to have an Olympian in our midst raises the level for all of us from the interschool netballer to the future professional athlete.”

Media references

Rhys Hyatt (+61 8) 6488 4736 /(+ 61 4) 24 339 696

(UWA Sport Marketing, Communications & Events Manager)

Jess Reid (A/UWA Media and Public Relations Manager)                                      (+61 8) 6488 6876