First published 17 June 2024
Three QUT students have secured tickets to Paris to swim for Australia at the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The national swim trials were held last week, with the Dolphins' Olympics swim team and Paralympics swim team named over the weekend.
Law student Sam Short, 20, has qualified for the 400m freestyle at the Paris Olympics (July 26 to August 11). He is also likely to race the 1500m, despite having to withdraw from that event at the trials due to illness.
He is the current 400m world champion, and claimed gold in the 1500m and silver in the 400m at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Exercise physiology student Lewis Bishop, 19, is also heading to France, where he will represent Australia in S9 swimming at the Paralympics (August 28 to September 8).
He is a 100m butterfly specialist and also swims freestyle and individual medley.
Urban development student Nick Sloman, 26, will represent Australia at the Olympics in the marathon swim – a 10km open water endurance test in the River Seine.
He is a five-time Australian Open Water Champion and five-time Australian Surf Champion, and booked his place in the Paris team after a top 10 finish in the 10km race at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha in February.
The trio are all members of the QUT Elite Athlete Program, which provides holistic support for student athletes seeking to balance their study and sporting success.
QUT Director of Sport Emily Rosemond said the university was excited to see the swimmers heading to Paris and wished them well.
“We are very proud of them and will be cheering them on, along with several more of our student athletes who we hope will be competing in Paris in other sports,” she said.
“We are really committed to supporting their best performances by allowing them to balance their training and studies, while at the pinnacle of their sporting careers.”
Photo at top: QUT students (left to right) Sam Short, Lewis Bishop and Nick Sloman are all off to Paris.
QUT Media contacts:
- Mechelle McMahon, media@qut.edu.au
- After hours, 0407 585 901 or media@qut.edu.au
