A record breaking 31 Sydney University Olympians and Paralympians are concluding their final preparations, with the 2012 London Olympic Games Opening Ceremony now just 8 days away.
The 31-strong London bound contingent is Sydney Uni’s largest ever Games representation, improving upon the 20 athletes that competed in Sydney and the 21 that brought back seven medals from Beijing in 2008.
Sydney Uni athletes make up 5.8% (24 out of 410) of the Australian Olympic team and 4.3% (7 out of 161) of the Australian Paralympic team. The Olympic Games begins on Friday July 27, while the Paralympic Games will take centre stage on Wednesday August 29.
On Saturday July 28 at 7:10pm, five Sydney Uni rowers will hit the world-class waters at Eton Dorney to compete in the heats of the men’s eight. It will signal the beginning of 17 days of action that will see 24 Sydney Uni Olympians compete across 10 sports; including rowing, modern pentathlon, canoe sprint, canoe slalom, cycling, diving, sailing, hockey, basketball and water polo.
More than a month later three time Paralympian swimmer Katrina Porter will stand on top on the blocks in London’s new Aquatics Centre to compete in the heats of women’s 100m backstroke S7 (6:41pm on August 30). Porter will be joined in Paralympic competition by two more swimmers, two wheelchair basketballers, an athletics sprinter and our first ever goalball participant.
With the countdown for 2012 Olympic Games now entering single digits all eyes will soon turn to London, and Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness wishes all of its 31 Olympic and Paralympic athletes all the best as they compete on the world’s greatest sporting stage.
