Top trio spearhead Australia’s 20-strong swim team for World University Games in Korea

 

   

Swimming Australia, May 3, 2015: Former FINA World Championship representatives Jordan Harrison, Ami Matsuo and Ned McKendry will headline a 20-strong Australian swim team named today for the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea from July 3 to 14.

Former FINA World Championship representatives Jordan Harrison, Ami Matsuo and Ned McKendry will headline a 20-strong Australian swim team named today for the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea from July 3 to 14.

Harrison (QLD), Matsuo (NSW) and McKendry (QLD) will be joined by Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships representative Travis Mahoney (VIC) alongside rising star Sacha Downing (WA) who is the sole open water representative on a team selected off the recent Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships in Sydney.

At just 19-years-of-age, Harrison has already represented Australia at a world championships, Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs and only narrowly missed a spot on the Australian Dolphins team for the 2015 world titles in Russia.

The Gold Coast based swimmer, who trains under Denis Cotterell at Miami, will again get the chance to perfect his race skills, with Rio 2016 on his radar, when he races against quality international competition in South Korea.

London Olympian McKendry, who won a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games for his part in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay, will join Harrison at the World University Games on the quest for a shot at another Olympic team next year.

Making her first senior team in 2013 at the Barcelona world championships, Matsuo will be looking to gain vital international race experience alongside fellow talented teenagers Kiah Melverton (QLD) and Tianni Gilmour (QLD) in the women’s events.

While the men’s events will see rising stars, Jared Gilliland (QLD), Keiran Qaium (NSW), Nicholas Schafer (QLD) and Justin James (QLD) all searching for season best times off the back of a successful Australian Championship meet.

Head Coach of the World University Games Australian swim team, Tracey Menzies, said this year’s team had an impressive line-up.

“We have some really strong swimmers in our team this year and I am looking forward to seeing them step up and raise the bar when we compete in July,” Menzies said.

“A number of our swimmers came very close to world championship selection so now it is about lining up in South Korea and improving once again from the Australian championships, setting a season’s best time and gaining confidence through race practice.”

The World University Games will see some of the best student athletes from across the globe come together to compete.

“All of these athletes juggle study and swimming, which can be tough, so it is great to see them get the opportunity to represent Australia at an international level and prove their potential on the world stage,” Menzies said.

Uniroos team Chef de Mission Liz Morgan-Brett said the swimming team always makes a significant contribution to the overall Uniroos success at the Games.

“Our swimmers finished fourth on the swim medal table in Russia two years ago and will no doubt be aiming to surpass the four gold, two silver and four bronze medals they captured there.  With the experience of Olympic, world championships and Commonwealth Games competition already behind some of the team and under the leadership of Gary Vandeburgt, team manager Petria Thomas and head coach Tracey Menzies, they will be ready to take on the world in Gwangju,” Morgan–Brett said.

The 2015 World University Games will begin on July 3 and run until July 14, information about the event can be found here: http://www.gwangju2015.com/

 

Swimming Section - XXVIII Summer Universiade Gwangju, South Korea (3-14 July 2015)
First Name	Last Name	Age	Club	State	Tertiary Institution
Male Athletes
Nicholas	Brown	19	Western Sprint	WA	University of Western Australia
Jared	Gilliland	20	Brothers	QLD	Queensland University of Technology
Jacob	Hansford	20	SOPAC	NSW	Australian College of Physical Education
Jordan	Harrison	19	Miami	QLD	Bond University
Justin	James	22	Mackay	QLD	Australian National University
Travis	Mahoney	25	Nunawading	VIC	Deakin University
Ned	McKendry	23	Chandler	QLD	Griffith University - Nathan
Jack	McLoughlin	20	Brothers	QLD	Queensland University of Technology
Kieran	Qaium	22	Sydney University	NSW	Australian Catholic University
Nicholas	Schafer	23	River City Rapids	QLD	University of Wisconsin
Matthew	Treloar	21	Trinity Grammar	NSW	University of New South Wales
Female Athletes
Hayley	Abood	26	Sydney University	NSW	Sydney University
Sacha	Downing	18	Perth City	WA	Curtin University
Ellen	Fullerton	22	Brothers	QLD	Queensland University of Technology
Tianni	Gilmour	19	Pelican Waters Caloundra	QLD	Queensland University of Technology
Jessica	Hansen	20	Nunawading	VIC	Deakin University
Ami	Matsuo	19	Carlile	NSW	TAFE NSW
Kiah	Melverton	18	TSS Aquatics	QLD	Griffith University - Gold Coast
Aisling	Scott	22	Indooroopilly	QLD	University of Queensland
Jordan	White	22	SLC Aquadot	NSW	University of New South Wales
Team Leader
Gary	Vandeburgt
Head Coach
Tracey	Menzies
Coaches
Dion	Mepham		Western Sprint	WA
Justin	Rothwell		Carlile	NSW
Gavin	Stewart		SLC Aquadot	NSW
Scott	Talbot		Sydney University	NSW
Support Staff
Petria	Thomas		Team Manager

Further information on the Universiade, including the participating sports, can be found here www.gwangju2015.com

For more information on the Australian Uniroos and Australian University Sport, please visit their website www.unisport.com.au/uniroos

Follow the Australian Dolphins Swim Team on Twitter @DolphinsAus

Follow the Australian Uniroos on Twitter @AUSUniroos

For further information regarding the swimming selection, please contact:

Kathleen Rayment - Media & Public Relations Coordinator, Swimming Australia
02 6219 5623 | M: 0432 915 262 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ian Hanson – Consulting Media Manager at Swimming Australia

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | M: 0407 385 160

For more information on the Australian Uniroos, to enquire about media accreditation for the event or to arrange interviews, please contact:

David Culbert - Australian Uniroos Media

03 9822 7110 | 0417 272 641 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." target="_blank">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Issued on behalf of Swimming Australia by
Ian Hanson| Media Manager

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