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USC athletes shine at Australian Uni Games
University of the Sunshine Coast athletes secured three silver medals at the 2011 Australian University Games on the Gold Coast last week.
USC finished 6th overall from 39 universities competing at the annual multi-sport carnival from 25-30 September, following some impressive team and individual performances.
The men’s 4x100m relay team of Luke Grimley, Tommy Connolly, Patrick Killalea and Christian Mackenzie looked a strong chance for gold after winning their qualifying heat in a quick 44.06 seconds.
The fleet-footed team shaved more than half a second off that time in the final (43.49 seconds), but were edged out by the University of Sydney in an exciting race.
USC’s mixed touch team also was denied gold in a close final, losing 5-4 to the University of Canberra.
The Coast team had won seven of its nine round matches throughout the week, before beating Bond University 6-4 in the semi-final to earn a grand final berth.
The women’s volleyball team finished second after its four round robin matches and won through to the final with a 3-1 victory over the University of South Australia. The University of Queensland was too strong in the final, though, winning 3-0.
Other notable achievements for USC included 4th placings to the men’s beach volleyball team, the men’s indoor volleyball team and to sprinter Louise Maybuyry in the women’s 400m final.
Maybuyry easily won her heat in 58.93 and upped the ante with a time of 57.99 in the final. However, she missed out on the bronze by a mere 0.08 of a second.
USC Sport Manager Nathan Gordon congratulated the University’s team of 80 athletes who took part in the Australian University Games, which involved thousands of athletes from across the country.
— Terry Walsh