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Thomas Neilll sitting with arms on his knees wearing his swimming cap and goggles
18 March 2022

Australian swimmer has credited his University of Queensland with helping him claim a bronze medal at last year’s Tokyo Olympic Games.

The Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours) student is one of seven Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic athletes awarded a 2022 ¿ì²¥É«ÇéƬ Sporting Scholarship.

A total of 47 Scholarships were bestowed to ¿ì²¥É«ÇéƬ student-athletes, with prominent Australian and Queensland representatives among this year’s cohort.

Neill – awarded a ¿ì²¥É«ÇéƬ Sports Achievement Scholarship both in 2021 and 2022 – was a member of Australia’s Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay team who took .

He said his Scholarship helped him balance his university and sporting pursuits leading up to the Games.

“As I prepared for the Tokyo Olympics, I found it difficult to ensure good progress in my studies as I was always away racing or on training camps,” Mr Neill said.

“Staff from helped me manage my studies, and make sure there was sound communication with lecturers to give me practical solutions in which I could swim for Australia, and also achieve good university results.

“Trying to be a successful athlete while balancing university comes with its challenges, however, the support shown by the entire ¿ì²¥É«ÇéƬ Sport team helps to alleviate these stresses and worries that come with being a student-athlete.

“I really could not have won an Olympic medal without the aid of my Sporting Scholarship, and the support from ¿ì²¥É«ÇéƬ Sport.”

Fellow Olympian  said her ¿ì²¥É«ÇéƬ Sports Achievement Scholarship also aided her achievements at the Tokyo Games.

The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) finished 14th in the Women’s Laser Radial Sailing competition – a result which included a victory in the penultimate event of the 11-race program.

“Being part of the ¿ì²¥É«ÇéƬ Sport Elite Athlete Program (EAP), and a recipient of a Sports Achievement Scholarship, has enabled me to pursue both an Engineering degree and an Olympic campaign,” Ms Stransky-Smith said.

“This is something I previously thought was well out of my reach, however, with assistance from the incredibly helpful and patient EAP staff I was able to compete at the Olympics while studying.

“Additionally, my Scholarship has alleviated some of the financial stress, allowing me to focus more completely on achieving my best performances in both sporting and academic fields.”

More than $180,000 in funding has been allocated across three programs - ¿ì²¥É«ÇéƬ Sports Achievement Scholarship, Clem Jones Sporting Scholarship, and Wensley Sporting Scholarship – with 19 sports represented.

Beneficiaries include Tokyo Paralympic gold medallists and (Swimming), Olympic bronze medallist (Rowing), as well as and (Water Polo).

This year’s Scholarship group also features forward , netballer , Brisbane Lions AFLW premiership winner , world champion water ski jumper , and Australian diver .

Recipients include 16 new and 31 continuing students, with Health and Behavioural Sciences the most represented faculty, with 19 scholarship winners. 

Scholarship holders benefit from student-athlete workshops, academic liaison and tutoring delivered through the ¿ì²¥É«ÇéƬ Sport Elite Athlete Program, as well as access to  fitness and training facilities.

2022 ¿ì²¥É«ÇéƬ Sports Achievement Scholarship recipients:

Abby Andrews

Sport: Water Polo

Course: Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (Honours)

Faculty: Business, Economics and Law

Caitlin Bettenay

Sport: Volleyball

Course: Master of Physiotherapy Studies

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Patrick Carrigan

Sport: Rugby League

Course: Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Jacinta Carroll

Sport: Water Skiing (Jumping)

Course: Master of Physiotherapy

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Claire Colwill

Sport: Hockey

Course: Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Oscar Dart

Sport: Triathlon

Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Elizabeth Dekkers

Sport: Swimming              

Course: Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours)

Faculty: Science

Jasmine Fleming

Sport: Volleyball

Course: Bachelors of Science / Laws (Honours)

Faculties: Business, Economics and Law / Science

Brenton Foster     

Sport: Athletics

Course: Master of Teaching (Secondary)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Eve Gath

Sport: Water Polo

Course: Bachelors of Mathematics / Computer Science

Faculties: Science / Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Greta Gowen

Sport: Rugby Sevens

Course: Bachelor of Science

Faculty: Science

Natalie Grider

Sport: Australian Football

Course: Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Sciences (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Benjamin Hancock

Sport: Australian Football

Course: Doctor of Medicine

Faculty: Medicine

Shemaiah James

Sport: Athletics

Course: Bachelor of Health, Sport and Physical Education (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Kimberley Jenner

Sport: Netball

Course: Bachelor of Health, Sport and Physical Education (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Thomas Kelaart

Sport: Cricket

Course: Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Lillian Kolb

Sport: Rugby Sevens

Course: Bachelors of Engineering (Honours) / Computer Science

Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Mitchell Lehmann

Sport: Rugby Union

Course: Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Alexandra Martin-Wallace

Sport: Cycling

Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Liam McBrien

Sport: Australian Football

Course: Bachelor of Science

Faculty: Science

Howard McDonald

Sport: Athletics

Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Emily Meaney

Sport: Diving

Course: Master of Physiotherapy Studies

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Isabella Nasser

Sport: Rugby Sevens

Course: Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Thomas Needham

Sport: Sailing

Course: Bachelors of Engineering (Honours) / Commerce

Faculties: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology / Business, Economics and Law

Thomas Neill

Sport: Swimming

Course: Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours)

Faculty: Business, Economics and Law

Alana Pacholke

Sport: Canoe Polo

Course: Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Gabi Palm

Sport: Water Polo

Course: Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

James Panizza

Sport: Cycling

Course: Bachelors of Engineering (Honours) / Economics

Faculties: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology / Business, Economics and Law

Lakeisha Patterson

Sport: Swimming

Course: Bachelor of Communication

Faculty: Humanities and Social Sciences

Alice Ready

Sport: Rowing

Course: Bachelors of Engineering (Honours) / Science

Faculties: Engineering, Architective and Information Technology / Science

Noah Rosemann

Sport: Rowing        

Course: Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (Honours)

Faculty: Business, Economics and Law

Natalie Shaw

Sport: Swimming

Course: Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours)

Faculty: Science

Patrick Sowerby

Sport: Rugby Union

Course: Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours)

Faculty: Business, Economics and Law

Mara Stransky-Smith

Sport: Sailing

Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Ria Thompson

Sport: Rowing

Course: Doctor of Medicine

Faculty: Medicine

Natalie Wright

Sport: Rugby Union

Course: Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

2022 Clem Jones Sporting Scholarship recipients:

Mikayla Crouch

Sport: Athletics

Course: Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours)

Faculty: Science

Maxwell Daldy

Sport: Cricket

Course: Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Cara Feain-Ryan

Sport: Athletics

Course: Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Jonah Glover

Sport: Rugby League

Course: Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Tylah Hutton

Sport: Rowing

Course: Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Felix Jackson-King

Sport: Athletics

Course: Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours)

Faculty: Business, Economics and Law

Alec McKay

Sport: Rugby Union

Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Jayden Morrow

Sport: Surf Life Saving

Course: Bachelors of Science / Education (Secondary)

Faculties: Humanities and Social Sciences / Science

Oliver Wright

Sport: Swimming

Course: Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences

Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences

Corbin Zahn

Sport: Surf Life Saving

Course: Bachelors of Commerce / Economics

Faculty: Business, Economics and Law

2022 Wensley Sporting Scholarship recipient:

Rachael Watson   

Sport: Swimming

Course: Diploma in Science

Faculty: Science

Media: ¿ì²¥É«ÇéƬ Sport Marketing, marketing@uqsport.com.au.