The announcement this week that Matt Abood will join the Australian swimming team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games has taken Sydney University’s representation to 17.
Abood has been called in to replace former 50m and 100m freestyle world record holder Eamon Sullivan, who has a shoulder injury and has been forced to pull out of the team for next month’s Games in Glasgow.
Sullivan, the Beijing Olympic 100m silver medallist, had decided to concentrate on just the 50m freestyle event after undergoing two shoulder operations before April’s national swimming titles in Brisbane.
He claimed 50m freestyle gold ahead of James Magnussen at the national titles to book his third Commonwealth Games campaign, but has suffered a recurrence of the shoulder injury.
Abood, a member of the Sydney University Swimming Club squad under the coaching of Grant Stoelwinder, is a more than handy replacement in the squad, having been competing against the best since winning his first national title in the 50m freestyle at the 2009 Australian Championships.
He has been to three World Championships; competing in the 50m and 100m freestyle and the 4x100m freestyle relay at Rome in 2009; winning gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay at Shanghai in 2011, and finishing 11th in the 50m freestyle at Barcelona in 2013.
He also competed at the 2010 World Short Course Championships in Dubai.
Sydney University Athletics Club (SUAC) will provide 11 of the 17 athletes from Sydney University who will be competing in Glasgow.
SUAC members include Josh Ralph, Anneliese Rubie, Jarrod Geddes, Ella Nelson, Ian Dewhurst, Angela Ballard, Jin Su Jung, James Nipperess, Emily Brichacek, Nick Hough and Michelle Jenneke. Lara Tamsett was pre-selected but is injured.
They will be joined on the Australian team by Abood, Matthew Mitcham (diving), Kane Townsend (table tennis), Emily Esposito (pistol) and Jaelle Cohen (rhythmic gymnastics). Sydney University Football Club might also have a representative if Greg Jeloudev is named in the rugby sevens team which is yet to be announced.
The Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow from July 23 to August 3.
