Three QUT students – Brittany Elmslie, Cate Campbell and Bronte Campbell, all members of the QUT Elite Athlete program – have brought home gold and a new world record on Sunday in the 4x100m freestyle event with team member Emma McKeon.
Bronte Barratt had a silver swim in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay on Wednesday.
Other QUT students on the Olympics team are long jumper Henry Frayne, 1500m freestyle swimmer Jack McLoughlin, women’s water polo captain Bronwen Knox, and Evelina Afoa, swimming for Samoa. In the Paralympics, swimmer Rachael Watson and wheelchair rugby player Cameron Carr will compete.
These athletes are maintaining study in degrees as varied as Law to Public Health while competing at the top level with the help of QUT’s Elite Athlete Program.
QUT Elite Athlete Program coordinator Alison Thomson said the program had run for more than 10 years following an agreement between the university and the Australian Sports Commission.
“We are seen as frontrunners supporting more than 300 elite athletes in more than 50 sports to maintain their study at the same time as undertaking rigorous training and competition,” Ms Thomson said.
“We support them to compete at state, national and international levels while gaining university qualifications to support their dual career."
Media contact: Niki Widdowson, QUT Media, 07 3138 2999 or n.widdowson@qut.edu.au
After hours: Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901 or media@qut.edu.au.
