SUAC made their mark in the compact five day athletics competition at the World Cup Stadium in Gwangju, taking two bronze medals and some impressive close shaves.
The star of the opening morning, and perhaps the entire competition was SUAC sprinter Jin Su Jung, with his fastest three times ever recorded coming from the meet.
The 21-year-old Law student dashed down the 100m straight to win his heat in a lifetime best of 10.27secs (+1.0) to smash his previous best of 10.34secs. Significantly, Jin is now placed 20th on the All Time Australian Fastest 100m list.
Born in Seoul and with family living in Jeonju, just north of Gwangju, Jin respectfully bowed to the appreciative crowd after his win. With the full support of his extended family in the stands, Jin managed a qualifying 10.48secs in Round 2.
“It’s awesome to have the support, we have 30 minutes in the call room and you can get very nervous and there’s a lot of thing going on in your mind, but as soon as I walk out of the tunnel I see my family and friends and to see them out there allows me to relax,” Jin said.
On the same day, Alix Kennedy represented Australia in her second and final Summer Universiade in javelin.
The momentum carried forward into Day 2 as Jin ultimately compiled a brilliant series of runs to place seventh in the final of the men’s 100m in a time of 10.33secs.
Not to be forgotten, SUAC’s Michelle Jenneke backed up her trademark pre-race dance with a strong performance, breezing through her 100m hurdles heat. Angus Armstrong was also in action, competing in the pole vault in his first senior Australian rep team.
Day 3 sealed the deal, with SUAC capturing two bronze medals. Shelly Jenneke ran 12.94 in the 100 hurdles final to finish 3rd and earn a Rio Olympic Games qualifier in the process, while Nicole Fagan, along with team mates Rachel Tallent & Stephanie Stigwood, came 3rd in the 20km walk teams event.
Nick Hough hit the first hurdle hard in his heat yet still managed 14.11 in a headwind just missing the final. Hough will now look forward to more hurdles success in Europe then Beijing.
On the final day of World University Games, Nicola McDermott finished 4th in the High Jump being very unlucky to miss Bronze, clearing the same height as 2nd & 3rd. Jin Su Jung ran the opening leg of Australia’s 4x100m team in the final that finished 4th in a tight race and Nick Van Gelder jumped 7.06 in the Long Jump. All athletes performed extremely well given the atrocious conditions.
Congratulations to all Australian medallists:
Gold – Dane Bird-Smith (UQ)
Silver – Matt Denny (Griffith)
Bronze – Shelly Jenneke (Sydney Uni)
Naa Anang (QUT)
Nicole Fagan (Sydney Uni)
Rachel Tallent (Canberra)
Stephanie Stigwood (Tasmania)
The 5 medals equals Australia’s best ever haul at World University Games! Overall, the Uniroos finish 15th on the medal tally – the best result from an Australian team in 23 editions of the World University Games.
In the Pacific Games underway in Port Moresby, Kasandra Vegas representing Samoa won Bronze in the Women’s Hammer Throw and Discuss.
While the World University Games concluded on a winning note, SUAC men’s and women’s open A teams both finished 2nd in Saturday’s NSW Road Relay Championships consolidating their respective leads in the Winter Premiership. The men’s B team finished 3rd and Scholarship holder, Emily Ryan, ran the fastest female split of the day in the 4x4km format event.
Well done to all SUAC representatives!
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