Birmingham Commonwealth Games Champion, Elizabeth Dekkers, is among a group of 45 student-athletes awarded a UQ Sporting Scholarship in 2023.
Gold medallist in the 200 Metres Butterfly, the Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) student is one of five Scholarship recipients who represented Australia at the 2022 Games.
Awarded a UQ Sports Achievement Scholarship in 2022 and 2023, Dekkers says the scholarship program provides her the flexibility she needs to train and compete at the highest level.
“The Scholarship has given me the support I needed to juggle both swimming and academics,” Dekkers said.
“It allows me to study part time, access tutoring, and have the flexibility to fit study into my schedule.
“The catch ups that we do every semester as part of the program are so helpful, they really allow me to map out my semester so I can think ahead and be organised.
“The most beneficial part has been having access to tutoring for my subjects and being able to access timetable preferencing so that I can plan study around training as best as possible.”
Fellow Commonwealth Games representative Emily Meaney also praised her Scholarship for allowing her to pursue a career in physiotherapy while training and competing as an elite diver.
Placing 5th in the 10m Platform event in Birmingham, the Master of Physiotherapy student said it wouldn’t be possible to stay on top of her studies without the support of her UQ Sports Achievement Scholarship.
“The Scholarship allows me to balance my university work with my diving and the team at UQ Sport really help me out, especially around assignment time and when competitions get really hectic.” Meaney said.
“When I went to the Commonwealth Games I had to defer my exams twice, so the team helped me so I could sit them a little bit later and I was still able to complete my university subjects as well as compete for Australia.”
Other beneficiaries include Tokyo Paralympic gold medallists Lakeisha Patterson and Rachael Watson (Swimming), Olympic bronze medallists Thomas Neill (Swimming) and Ria Thompson (Rowing), Olympian Abby Andrews (Water Polo), Commonwealth silver medallist Claire Colwill (Hockey), Australian Diamonds player Kim Jenner and Australian steeplechaser Cara Feain-Ryan.
A total of 17 sports are represented, and Scholarships have been given to 21 new and 24 continuing students, with Health and Behavioural Science (14 students) the most represented faculty.
Scholarship holders benefit from student-athlete workshops, academic liaison and tutoring delivered through the UQ Sport Elite Athlete Program, as well as access to UQ Sport’s fitness and training facilities.
2023 UQ 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: Beach Volleyball
Course: Master of Physiotherapy Studies
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
Claire Colwill
Sport: Hockey
Course: Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology (Honours)
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
Scarlett Day
Sport: Rugby Union and Rugby Sevens
Course: Bachelor of Arts
Faculty: Humanities and Social Sciences
Elizabeth Dekkers
Sport: Swimming
Course: Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours)
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Jasmine Fleming
Sport: Beach Volleyball
Course: Bachelors of Science / Laws (Honours)
Faculty: Business, Economics and Law / Science
Benjamin Hancock
Sport: Australian Football
Course: Doctor of Medicine
Faculty: Medicine
Kimberley Jenner
Sport: Netball
Course: Bachelor of Health, Sport and Physical Education (Honours)
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
Georgia Johnson
Sport: Beach Volleyball
Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Thomas Kelaart
Sport: Cricket
Course: Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology (Honours)
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
Mac Kelley
Sport: Rugby Union
Course: Bachelors of Commerce / Economics
Faculty: Business, Economics and Law
Siliva Leofa
Sport: Rugby Union
Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Alexandra Martin-Wallace
Sport: Cycling
Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
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
Jana Milutinovic
Sport: Beach Volleyball
Course: Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
George Murphy
Sport: Mogul Skiing
Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
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
Faculty: Business, Economics and Law / Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Thomas Neill
Sport: Swimming
Course: Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours)
Faculty: Business, Economics and Law
Lakeisha Patterson OAM
Sport: Swimming
Course: Bachelor of Communication
Faculty: Humanities and Social Sciences
Barney Radel
Sport: Rugby Union
Course: Bachelors of Engineering (Honours) / Mathematics
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology / Science
Clara Smith
Sport: Athletics
Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Tatum Stewart
Sport: Hockey
Course: Bachelor of Health, Sport and Physical Education (Honours)
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
Xavier Stiles
Sport: Rugby Union
Course: Bachelors of Commerce / Economics
Faculty: Business, Economics and Law
James Takken
Sport: Beach Volleyball
Course: Bachelor of Arts
Faculty: Humanities and Social Sciences
Ria Thompson
Sport: Rowing
Course: Doctor of Medicine
Faculty: Medicine
Robert Thorpe
Sport: Swimming
Course: Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
Tyler Tomkinson
Sport: Cycling
Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Harrison Vig
Sport: Swimming
Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Banjo Waring
Sport: Cricket
Course: Bachelors of Science / Laws (Honours)
Faculty: Business, Economics and Law / Science
Rachael Watson OAM
Sport: Swimming
Course: Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
Georgina West
Sport: Hockey
Course: Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology (Honours)
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
Natalie Wright
Sport: Rugby Union and Rugby Sevens
Course: Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology (Honours)
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
2023 Clem Jones Sporting Scholarship recipients:
Jayde Cochrane
Sport: Triathlon
Course: Bachelor of Nursing
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
Mikayla Crouch
Sport: Athletics
Course: Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours)
Faculty: Science
Eve Gath
Sport: Water Polo
Course: Bachelors of Mathematics / Computer Science
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology / Science
Tylah Hutton
Sport: Rowing
Course: Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
Jemma Keefe
Sport: Athletics
Course: Bachelors of Business Management / Arts
Faculty: Business, Economics and Law / Humanities and Social Sciences
Alec McKay
Sport: Rugby Union
Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Daniel Miller
Sport: Surf Lifesaving
Course: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Computer Science
Faculty: Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Jayden Morrow
Sport: Surf Lifesaving
Course: Bachelors Science / Education (Secondary)
Faculty: Humanities and Social Sciences / Science
Oscar Newbury
Sport: Rowing
Course: Bachelor of Business Management
Faculty: Business, Economics and Law
Corbin Zahn
Sport: Surf Lifesaving
Course: Bachelors of Business Management / Economics
Faculty: Business, Economics and Law
2023 Wensley Sporting Scholarship recipient:
Cara Feain-Ryan
Sport: Athletics
Course: Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)
Faculty: Health and Behavioural Sciences
Media: UQ Sport Marketing, marketing@uqsport.com.au.