Sport scholarships for Beijing-bound student athletes

[ The University of Melbourne Voice Vol. 3, No. 1  14 April - 12 May 2008 ]

By Rod Warnecke

Some 68 University of Melbourne student athletes, including two confirmed Beijing Olympians, have been awarded sports scholarships and grants as part of this year’s Melbourne University Sport scholarship program.

The scholarships support students competing in various sports ranging from badminton to fencing and modern pentathlon to sailing.

The program will deliver more than $110 000 in cash and in-kind support to student-athletes in 2008.

Five student athletes have been awarded High Performance Scholarships for their previous and continued representation of Australia at various levels of competition.

Kimberley Crow (4th year Law/Media & Communications), who has won a number of international rowing medals, will represent Australia in the Women’s Pairs at this year’s Beijing Olympic Games.

Victoria Brown (4th year Property & Construction) has represented Australia in water polo for the past few years and is vying for a spot in the team for Beijing.

Angela Darby (2nd year Architecture) has been selected to compete in Beijing as Australia’s sole female representative in the Modern Pentathlon.

Alice McNamara (4th year Commerce/Science) is the current World Champion in the lightweight quad scull (rowing) and is Australia’s emergency for the lightweight double scull in Beijing.

Chris Gronow (4th year Commerce/Law) is in the running for a berth on the Olympic water polo team.

Friends of the Sports Association Scholarships have been awarded to seven student-athletes to assist them in making the transition to senior Australian representation. Recipients are –

Melbourne University Athletics Club’s Tom Barnes (PhD Biochemistry), a competitor at last year’s World University Games.

The Badminton Club’s Luke Chong (4th year Optometry) who will compete at the 2008 World University Championship.

Athletic Club member Katherine Clarke (3rd year Physiotherapy) who won silver in the national U/23 400 metres in 2008.

Australia’s top-ranked alpine skier Katya Crema (1st year Environments).

Victorian Spirit wicket-keeper and national cricket squad member Emma Inglis (2nd year Biomedical Science).

Melbourne University Boat Club member and 2007 U/23 bronze medalist Tom Larkins (4th year Landscape Architecture).

Australian mountain bike U/23 World Championship representative Lachlan Norris (3rd year Science).

The 2008 scholarships also include the Vice-Chancellor’s Elite Athlete grants which specifically aim to assist with the often large costs associated with representing Australia in international sporting competitions. Grants have been awarded to –

Chris Hamer (2nd year Engineering) to compete in the World University Championships for cross country running in France.

John Liddicoat (4th year Law/Science) who will represent Australia at the World Ultimate Frisbee Championships in Canada.

Bradley Spaulding (1st year Commerce) who will compete at the U/19 World Lacrosse Championships in Canada.

Sarah Tait (1st year Natural Resource Management) who will row in the women’s eight at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Further Vice-Chancellor’s grants will be awarded as student-athletes confirm their selection to represent Australia.

Other scholarship and grant recipients will receive support ranging from funding to represent Team Melbourne at this year’s Australian University Games and/or a ScholarFit membership to Melbourne University Sport’s fitness and sporting facilities.