The Australian Olympic team has returned home with their second highest medal haul in history, with UQ athletes playing a key part in their success.
Sixteen University of Queensland athletes amassed one gold and six bronze between them, one of the best ever efforts from a UQ contingent.
Science student Melanie Schlanger scored the first UQ medal of the Games when she picked up a bronze in the 4 x 100m relay, backing up in the heats of the 4 x 200m to help Australia claim a historic gold medal in the event.
Fellow student Leith Brodie tasted relay bronze twice (4 x 100 and 4 x 200m) and narrowly missed the final of the 200m individual medley, which was won by Olympic superstar Michael Phelps.
It was also a successful campaign for softballer Tanya Harding, who added a bronze to her Olympic medal tally, and for Suzie Fraser and Amy Hetzel in the women's water polo, triumphing over Hungary in a penalty shoot out for the bronze.
Human Movement Studies student Emma Moffatt placed third in the triathlon behind teammate Emma Snowsill, with UQ staff member Shaun Stephens serving as a team coach.
The Games were also memorable for Business Management student Sam Conrad, who made the final of the men's rowing eight, and medical student Robert Newbery, who just missed out on a podium finish in the 10m synchronised diving event in his third and final Olympics.
Meanwhile, UQ alumni were working hard behind the scenes with well-known sporting identities Lawrie Lawrence and John Eales playing their part as team motivators.
And in another special achievement, Dr Ian Jobling, the director of UQ's Centre for Olympic Studies, has been appointed to the board of the International Society of Olympic Historians, which is officially recognised by the IOC.
2008 UQ Olympic medallists
Leith Brodie - 4 x 100m relay (bronze)
4 x 200m relay (bronze)
Suzie Fraser - Water Polo (bronze)
Tanya Harding - Softball (bronze)
Amy Hetzel - Water Polo (bronze)
Emma Moffatt - Triathlon (bronze)
Melanie Schlanger - 4 x 100m relay (bronze)
4 x 200m relay (gold)
Media: Cameron Pegg at UQ Communications (07 3365 2049, c.pegg@uq.edu.au)
