Nineteen University of Sydney students have won selection in the Australian team to compete at the Summer World University Games, known as the Universiade, at Gwangju City, South Korea, from July 3-14, 2015.
The Australian team of 185 athletes plus coaches, managers and medical staff was chosen by Australian University Sport in consultation with the relevant national sporting organisations and is known as the Australian Uniroos. Nearly all Australian universities have contributed members to the team with some also selected from overseas campuses.
If you followed the fortunes of our University of Sydney contingent who did us proud at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games last year, you will notice some familiar faces. Michelle Jenneke and Nicholas Hough have maintained their high standards to make the athletics squad.
The world Universiade comes from university and Olympiad, meaning Olympic Games for students.
The Universiade is both a sporting and cultural festival with around 170 countries and 10,000 athletes participating. Gwangju City, 268km south of the capitol Seoul was established in 57BC, so all attending should experience a rich history with so much to see and do outside of the sporting events.
The 13 compulsory sports range from Athletics; Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics; Basketball; Fencing; Football (soccer); Judo; Table Tennis and Volleyball. Additional sports are added by the host city and the 28th Universiade includes Archery; Badminton; Handball; Golf; Rowing, Taekwondo and Shooting.
The University of Sydney Taekwondo Club is thrilled to have four of its members make the 13 strong Taekwondo team. Founded in 2001, the club teaches this Korean martial art so they are preparing for tough competition from host nation South Korea. Jessica Moro, who is studying a Master of Exercise Physiology and the beneficiary of a previous Sydney Uni Elite Athlete Scholarship, will bring proven experience to the mat at this high level of competition. Jessica, who started Taekwondo training in 1997, has represented with distinction overseas and is primed for a big tournament.
Our sole representative in the Uniroos swimming team, Hayley Abood, is another member of our Elite Athlete Program and a proven performer at this level, gaining a bronze medal in the 200m backstroke at the 2013 World Uni Games in Kazan, Russia.
It was one of the six gold, four silver and six bronze medals the Australian won in Kazan, the same medal tally we scooped in 2011 at Shenzhen, China. In Shenzhen, Sydney University middle distance runner Lachlan Renshaw, as men’s team captain, recorded one of the biggest results of his career winning gold in the 800m. While Australia won’t field competitors in every event, those we do contest will see our Aussie spirit and determination in full flight.
So with such a proud history to inspire them, please join us in wishing all of our University of Sydney Uniroos a memorable and successful journey to South Korea. Keep an eye out for updates on how our Uniroos perform here or the official website: http://www.gwangju2015.com/info/
The full University of Sydney group includes:
Athletics: Nicole Fagan, Michelle Jenneke, Alix Kennedy, Nicola McDermott, Angus Armstrong, Nicholas Harris Mylordi, Nicholas Hough and Jin Su Jung.
Badminton: Melinda Sun.
Fencing: Simon Capon and Matthew Donald.
Rhythmic Gymnastics: Enid Sung.
Swimming: Hayley Abood.
Taekwondo: Ellie Frayne, Jessica Moro, Hojabr Kakavand and Sam HyunWoong Yang.
Men’s Water Polo: Anthony Hrysanthos and Paul Sindone.
