QUT students Saskia Broedelet (rhythmic gymnastics) and Alice Williams (water polo) are heading to Paris for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
They will both be making their Olympic debut.
Saskia (pictured above left), 20, is studying a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at QUT and was last week announced as part of Australia’s largest ever Olympic gymnastics team.
She will compete in rhythmic gymnastics – a discipline that combines elements of traditional dance and artistic gymnastics, making use of four apparatus (ribbon, hoop, ball and clubs).
Her road to Paris has included Junior World Championships, World Cups, and World Challenge Cups.
Rhythmic gymnastics is scheduled for the second week of the Paris Games, from August 9 to 11.
Alice, who is a biomedical science student, will compete is Paris as part of the Australian Stingers women’s water polo team.
The 25-year-old made her debut for the Stingers in 2017 and was part of the national team that placed fourth at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships and sixth at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships.
She is one of the Stingers who feature in the team announcement video below, which shares inspirational letters to their younger selves.
The 2024 Olympics’ women’s water polo competition will take place at the Paris Aquatic Centre (preliminary rounds) and the Paris La Defense Arena (finals) from 27 July to 10 August.
The competition is a 10-team tournament, with Australia drawn in Group A against Netherlands, Canada, China and Tokyo Olympic bronze medallists Hungary.
The Stingers team for Paris also include QUT graduate Elle Armit, who has degrees in teaching and exercise science and was part of the QUT Elite Athlete Program during her studies.
QUT Director of Sport Emily Rosemond said the university wished all three athletes well in Paris.
“We are incredibly proud of QUT’s student athletes who have qualified, but also all of those athletes who took part in the trials over these past few months and years leading into this year’s Olympic and Paralympics,” she said.
“Student athletes face so many challenges and ups and downs on the road to achieving selection. It’s not an easy feat.
“We’re looking forward to cheering them on.”
Main image at top: Saskia Broedelet (left) and Alice Williams (right) at QUT.
QUT Media contacts:
- Mechelle McMahon, media@qut.edu.au
- After hours, 0407 585 901 or media@qut.edu.au
