Ten University of Queensland students who combine studies with sport at a national level have received sporting scholarships for 1997.
Twin brothers Richard and Stephen Sexton (rugby union) are among the winners.
The others are: Vyninka Arlow (diving), Toni Dunlop (rowing), Jeffrey English (swimming), Juanita Feldhahn (cycling), Jeremy Lawrence (rowing), Natalie Shapiro (softball), Nathan Sharpe (rugby union) and Lachlan Stevens (cricket).
The scholarships, promoted and administered by UQ SPORT and supported by the University's Alumni Association, provide a $1250 cash grant for each recipient and free use of UQ SPORT facilities and services. Scholarships are awarded only to students accepted to the University on their academic record.
UQ SPORT director James Voght said this year's winners were all at an Australian standard and had already been chosen to represent their country.
The scholarships were considered a quality investment as they increased the University's performance at club level and provided advantages to students such as increased exposure and an opportunity to further develop their skills at the University.
Vyninka Arlow (first-year architecture) competed for Australia at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics. She was awarded third place in the 1995 World Cup and is currently training with the Australian Institute of Sport Diving section.
Dual-Olympian Toni Dunlop (fourth-year physiotherapy) represented New Zealand in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics and the World Championships in 1990 and 1991.
Jeffrey English (second-year arts) has recently been selected for the Australian team for the World Shortcourse Championships in Sweden in April. This is the second time he has been awarded a sports scholarship.
PhD student Juanita Feldhahn is current State Road Race and Criterium Champion finishing fourth in Australia in the National Points Series in 1996. She was a triple gold medallist at the 1996 Australian Universities Games in Canberra.
Jeremy Lawrence (first-year applied science) was a finalist at the World Junior Championships in 1996 in the Australian Junior Pair. He won the Queensland Rowing 'Most Improved Oarsman' award last year following his first-place success in the junior coxless pair at the Trans Tasman Championships and the Australian Junior Team Selection Regatta.
Second-year commerce student Richard Sexton represented Queensland and Australia in the schoolboys team in 1995 and in 1996 in the under-19s. He won the 'Player's Player' award for his performance in the Australia vs New Zealand test match last year. He was awarded a Development Award in 1996 and is currently a member of the QAS under-21s.
Stephen Sexton (second-year commerce) has represented Queensland and Australia in the schoolboys team and the under-19s. He was a Development Award winner in 1996 and toured the United Kingdom, Ireland and France with the Australian Schools Squad Team in 1994. He was a member of the QAS under-19 squad last year.
Fourth-year psychology student Natalie Shapiro, a fourth-time sports scholarship holder, won a bronze medal as a member of the Australian under-19 team at the World Series in 1995. She won a University Full Blue in 1995 for softball and has represented Queensland in various age groupings, recently graduating to the senior women's ranks. She was also named in the national training squad for the 2000 Olympics.
Second-time sports scholarship holder Nathan Sharpe (second-year arts) has represented both Queensland and Australia in under-16, under-19 teams and the Queensland under-21 team. He was recently chosen for the Reds Squad for matches against Wellington and Waikato.
First-year business student Lachlan Stevens was captain of the Queensland under-17 team which won the National Futera Cup Competition in 1996. Last year he played for Queensland Colts (under-21s) and was captain of the under-19 team.
For more information, contact Trent Reisenleiter, UQ SPORT (telephone 3371 7777, fax 3371 7229).
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