Go Ezi and team! Meet the Deakin students representing Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games
As we begin the countdown to the much-anticipated Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, we’ll be keeping a keen eye on the past and present Deakin elite-athlete students who have been selected to represent Australia on the global stage!
While originally planned for July 2020, the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games were delayed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rescheduled Games are still referred to as ‘Tokyo 2020’, with the Olympic Games now taking place from Friday 23 July–Sunday 8 August 2021 and the Paralympic Games from Tuesday 24 August–Sunday 5 September 2021.
All eyes on Ezi and the Opals
Representing Australia in her Olympic debut, Deakin psychology student and professional basketballer Eziyoda ‘Ezi’ Magbegor (pictured) will take to the court in Tokyo as a key player for the Australian Opals alongside fellow WNBA star Liz Cambage.
Lauded as a rising star at just 21 years old, last year Ezi helped secure the 2020 WNBA Championship for Seattle Storm and was named the Betty Watson Australian Youth Player of the Year at the 2020 WNBL Awards for her dazzling season with the Deakin Melbourne Boomers. Ezi also took home gold representing Australia in the Emerging Opals squad at the 2019 World University Games.
Following news of her outstanding WNBA rookie season, Lauren Jackson – former star basketballer and Olympian flag bearer – was full of praise for Ezi and her promising career.
‘Ezi is such an important and exciting piece of the future of our sport,’ she told The Australian late last year.
We couldn’t agree more, and look forward to cheering on Ezi and the Opals as they seek to overturn the internationally dominant USA team in Tokyo!
Best of luck to the Deakin students and alumni in Tokyo
We also wish to congratulate the following Deakin elite-athlete students and alumni who will be attending the 2020 Tokyo Games to represent Australia in their respective sports.
- Alex Viney: Rowing – Paralympics. Current Master of Business (Sport Management) student.
- Hana Basic: Athletics – Olympics. Current Bachelor of Health and Physical Education student.
- Campbell Watts: Travelling reserve for Rowing – Olympics. Current Bachelor of Property and Real Estate/Bachelor of Commerce student.
- Brooke Stratton: Athletics – Olympics. Former Bachelor of Health Science student.
- Rhydian Cowley: Athletics – Olympics. Former Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Commerce student.
- Rowie Webster: Water polo – Olympics. Former Bachelor of Physical Education student.
- Lucy Stephan: Rowing – Olympics. Former Bachelor of Arts student.
- Henry Frayne: Athletics – Olympics. Former Bachelor of Commerce student.
- Jeffrey Riseley: Athletics – Olympics. Former Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Bachelor of Commerce student.
- Rebecca Allen: Basketball – Olympics. Former Master of Marketing student.
- Jessica Hansen: Swimming – Olympics. Former Bachelor of Exercise Sport Science/Business (Sports Management) student.
- Blake Edwards: Water polo – Olympics. Former Bachelor of Commerce student.
Catch all the action!
To stay up to date on the upcoming Games, check out the Inside 7 Olympics website for exclusive details and athlete features. In Australia, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be televised live and free exclusively on Seven and 7TWO, and simulcast in HD on 7plus, with coverage led by sporting greats and featuring a range of Olympian and Paralympian presenters and insights. In addition to the main broadcasts, curated 24/7 channels and live streams on 7plus will allow you to catch the Olympics however you like, with 7plus also offering captioning in multiple languages.
Make sure you also stay tuned to the Deakin Life blog as we count down to Tokyo 2020. Next week we’ll learn a bit more about the Deakin elite-athlete students and alumni doing us proud in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and we’ll soon announce the exciting celebrations we’ll be holding on campus in the lead-up to the Olympics Opening Ceremony!