Almost a quarter of the Australian swimming team for Tokyo will be made up of Griffith University student athletes or Griffith Swim Squad members.
Griffith Sports College Manager, Naomi McCarthy OAM, said it was a phenomenal result for Griffith which highlighted the number of elite athletes combining sporting pursuits with study opportunities at the University.
“We are absolutely thrilled to see such a high number of Griffith student athletes or swim squad selected for the Australian team and can’t wait to watch them perform in Tokyo next month,” she said.
“Their performances at the Australian Swimming Trials in Adelaide gave everyone a taste for the talent we have, both here in Queensland and across the country.
“To know that more than 20 percent of the Australian team is from Griffith is testament to both the hard work athletes have put in but also the work Griffith Sports College and Griffith Swim Squad coach Michael Bohl have done to get them to this point.”
“We congratulate all these swimmers on their achievement in making the Australian team.”
The Australian squad of 35 includes 18 women and 17 men, with five swimmers ranked number one in the world, including Griffith student athletes Emma McKeon (50m freestyle, 100m freestyle) and Zac Stubblety-Cook (200m breaststroke).
Griffith student athletes off to Tokyo:
- Meg Harris, Bachelor of Business. Event: Relay
- Abbey Harkin, Bachelor of Business. Event: 200m breaststroke
- Chelsea Hodges, Bachelor of Nursing. Event: 100m breaststroke
- Emma McKeon, Bachelor of Public Health. Events: 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m butterfly
- Kiah Melverton, Bachelor of Exercise Science/Psychological Science. Events: 800m, 1500m freestyle
- Tristan Hollard, Bachelor of Business. Event: 200m backstroke
- Cameron McEvoy, Bachelor of Science (Hons). Event: Relay
- Zac Stubblety-Cook, Bachelor of Psychological Science/Business. Event: 200m breaststroke.
Also this week Griffith para student athlete Thomas Gallagher entered the record books with a new Australian record in the 400m free MC. The Bachelor of Business student was selected in Australia’s Para team as a result.
Griffith University Swim Squad member Emily Seebohm (100m backstroke) is one of just three Australian swimmers to make four Games teams. Seebohm and McKeon both swim for Griffith Swim Squad.
Their coach Michael Bohl will also join the Australian coaching team for Tokyo.
