Sports wrap: what have our elite-athlete students been up to?
It’s been a busy start to the year – the sporting calendar is jam-packed and plenty of Deakin elite-athlete students are getting in on the action! Check out what our current students and Deakin alumni have been getting up to with bat, ball or skis in hand with this latest sports wrap.
Winter Paralympic Games
Deakin alum Mitchell Gourley entered his fourth Winter Paralympic Games when he hit the slopes in Beijing last week.
Mitch finished thirteenth in the men’s super-combined standing event in the para-alpine skiing program, after carrying the Australian flag into the National Stadium in Beijing at the Opening Ceremony the previous night.
Less than four months after he emerged from an almost-three-year hiatus, Mitch will sign off from para-alpine skiing at the conclusion of the Games, with the Giant Slalom still to come.
‘I reckon this is a great hill for GS and I’m glad to get a run under my belt in slalom on it. If that mythical beast shows up on slalom, I’ve won plenty of World Cup slalom runs, so why can’t I win this?’ he said.
AFLW
With the AFL Women’s 2022 season approaching the pointy end, a number of Deakin students are looking to either finish their home-and-away season on a high or stake their claim for a finals campaign.
It’s make or break for Magpies Mikala Cann and Lauren Butler, who sit just inside the top six but will need a win on the weekend to set that spot in stone. The Pies fell just two points shy of premiership-fancies the Adelaide Crows at Norwood Oval last weekend, but will need to bring home the four points against the Tigers in the final round of the season to enter their third consecutive finals series.
Sophie Molan will line up for opposing side Richmond in that match, who are coming off an eight-point victory over the GWS GIANTS. While the Tigers may be out of the finals race, they’ll be looking to cap off a much-improved season with one last win.
It’s the Dogs who will be looking to knock Collingwood out of sixth spot, as Gemma Lagioia and Sarah Hartwig take on the Lions in a bid to keep their season alive. Jasmine Grierson’s Kangaroos will be jostling for their final standing in the top six when they host the Eagles, while Nicole Xenos’ Saints will be looking to finish their season on a high as they hunt for their third win on the trot.
A trio of Deakin students will face off when the Demons host Carlton at Casey Fields, with Blues Charlotte Wilson and Daisy Walker looking to continue their late-season surge while Dee Eliza McNamara will be out to secure top spot on the ladder for her side.
GIANTS Annalyse Lister and Katherine Smith will take on a bevy of fellow Deakin students lining up for the Cats including Maddy McMahon, Carly Remmos, Georgia Clarke, Millie Brown, Rebecca Webster, Stephanie Williams and recent alum Nina Morrison. With just one ladder position separating the two sides, bragging rights will be on the line.
W-League
Over in the W-League, Emma Checker (pictured) and Leah Davidson will kick off their finals campaign with Melbourne City, taking on Sydney FC. Having finished top two on the ladder, both Sydney FC and Melbourne City will be looking to punch their ticket to a shot at the championship, with the winner of the match-up going straight through to the grand final.
The loser of this match will have a second chance at glory and will face the winner of the second and knock-out semi-final, Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory, with Deakin students Polly Doran and Melina Ayres lining up for the Victory.
WNBL
After a COVID-disrupted season, the WNBL is approaching the business end with just two rounds remaining before finals kick off. The Melbourne Boomers are well represented when it comes to Deakin elite-student athletes, with Ezi Magbegor and Lily Scanlon preparing to take their side to finals.
Fellow Deakin elite-athlete student Chelsea D’Angelo will be looking to finish her season with the Southside Flyers on a high note, with match-ups against Townsville and Adelaide still to come.
Sheffield Shield
Jonathon Merlo, Sam Harper and Macalister Wright have been representing their states in the Sheffield Shield, with Jonathan and Sam in the box seat for Victoria as finals approach. The Victorian pair will take on Macalister in their next match against Tasmania, before lining up against Western Australian in what could be a preview of the eventual final.
Are you an elite athlete studying at Deakin?
Elite athletes can face many demands in finding a balance between their studies and sporting commitments, and we understand the need to support student athletes to enable them to succeed in both areas.
If you’ve got any questions about how the Elite Athlete Program (EAP) could help you, please visit the EAP website or contact the Elite Sports Coordinator, Jack Duke, at [email protected].