UC students and alumni to inspire at the Rio Paralympics

Kim Pham

5 September 2016: A proud contingent of at least seven University of Canberra students and alumni will be representing Australia at the 2016 Paralympics Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, from 7 – 18 September.

Each of them is among Australia's most inspirational athletes excelling in their chosen sport, from rowing to athletics.

University of Canberra students and staff will be able to cheer on their peers in the Refectory where the Paralympics will be shown on the big screen for the duration of the events.

As part of the Elite Athlete Friendly University network, the University supports student athletes by helping them manage their study alongside their training commitments and currently has more than 70 student elite athletes, one of the highest numbers in Australia.

Sprinter Scott Reardon is one of at least six University of Canberra students proudly representing Australia at the Rio Paralympics. Photo: Rodney Cowled.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Frances Shannon congratulated the athletes on their selection in the Australian team.

"The University is backing its students who are competing in the Rio Paralympics," she said. "We're ready to cheer on these wonderful sportspeople.

"Whatever their results over the coming two weeks, we're immensely proud of them."

Many are chasing that elusive gold medal including double-degree student Scott Reardon who achieved a silver medal in the men's 100m race at the 2012 London Paralympics. Not satisfied with the result, the 26-year-old, who is studying a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Science, has been working towards his goal of a gold medal ever since that day.

"The London Paralympics was an amazing experience and made me realise I had some things that I would have to work on and I had four years to get them right," he said.

"The dream has always been to win gold in Rio in a world record time since I crossed the line in London this was always the goal and that is still what I aim to do."

Swimmer and sports management student Matthew Haanappel is thrilled to be going to the Rio Paralympics after missing out on the first selection round.

The 22-year-old has cerebral palsy and will represent the country in at least five events including two swim relays and his pet events of 50m, 100m, and 400m freestyle.

"It feels amazing being in the water, to be weightless and totally control of your body going through the water is an amazing experience," he said.

"At the Paralympics, you can hear the roar of the crowd when you're in the water. It's something so amazing and exhilarating. I'm looking forward to experiencing that again in Rio."

Nursing student Kathryn Ross and her mixed double sculls partner Gavin Bellis are hoping to dominate in rowing at the Rio Paralympics.

"It's going to be an absolute monster of a race; it's going to be so tight," Ross said.

"The top six countries are just hundredths of a second off each other, so it is literally going to be 'go hard or go home'. We want to come home with a medal; hopefully a nice shiny gold one."

Ross is celebrating her 10^thyear in the sport and her third Paralympics campaign. She is pleased that the 2016 Rio Paralympics will be screened on mainstream TV.

"It's very exciting! We're finding the wider population enjoy the Paralympics just as much as the Olympics. People who have had unfortunate experiences turn them into amazing, positive things and achieving phenomenal stuff," she said.

"It's quite uplifting and enjoyable to watch so I think the wider community will really enjoy it."

UC Paralympic athletes

Evan O'Hanlon – Athletics – Bachelor of Landscape Architecture student

Kathryn Ross – Rowing (mixed double sculls with Gavin Bellis) – Bachelor of Nursing student

Jesse Aungles – Swimming – Bachelor of International Relations/ Bachelor of Commerce student

Matthew Haanappel – Swimming – Bachelor of Sports Management student

Michael Roeger – Athletics – Bachelor of Communications in Advertising student

Scott Reardon – Athletics – Bachelor of Education / Bachelor of Science student

Brad Scott – Athletics – Bachelor of Exercise and Coaching Science alumnus

Read about some of our Paralympic Games' representatives as well as our Olympians:

Ross rowing for gold at Rio

Matthew dives into Rio competition