AUSF Scholarship recipients announced for 2023

Adelaide University (AU) Sport and Fitness are proud to announce the scholarship recipients for 2023 in partnership with the University of Adelaide (UoA) and People’s Choice Credit Union.

Eight talented University of Adelaide (UoA) students will receive financial assistance with both their study and sports as successful recipients of 2023 Scholarships.

The scholarships offer a range of financial support, with some tailored to individual grant opportunities to help with costs for athletes represented Australia and at state, national or international level as well as specific sports/clubs as part of Adelaide University Sport.

The scholarships included the Charlie Jessop and Bob Heddle scholarships, as well as the People's Choice Scholarship supported by our partner People's Choice Credit Union. 

Seven sports were represented including football, gymnastics, rowing, hockey, swimming athletics and basketball.

Bob Heddle Scholarship
AU Basketball Club President Evie Lovell is a scholarship recipient for the second year running. Evie sees herself as an important role model for other student female athletes and as a postgraduate embraces the importance of a balance between sport and study to other students. Evie is the women's captain of the AU Waatu high performance basketball team and 2022 University Basketball League competition MVP. During her presidency, she has maintained the successful trajectory of the club and to represent and emulate the values of the club to new players, members and the public.

Rower Carys Jones was also successful in receiving the Bob Heddle Scholarship. Carys was a part of the Club Women’s Coxed Eight crew from SA that came third at the National rowing championships in March and is also the current women’s captain for the AU Boat Club. She credits the time management skills learnt through sport assisting her with balancing her athletic commitments with her honours year of Engineering

Charles Jessop Scholarship
James Yip is an athlete with a disability (swimming) who balances training nine times a week with being a committee member of the AU Swimming Club since 2018. James a Masters of Music student, has also taken further responsibility as vice president of the club and contributed to the AU Swimming Club of the Year award in 2022.

People’s Choice Credit Union
James Yip and elite athlete Olivia Hastings are recipients of the People’s Choice Credit Union scholarship.

James’s dedication to the sport of swimming has seen him represent the UoA at UniNationals over a number of years, in 2022 he achieved his first nationals short course qualifying time. 

Athletics has always been a passion of Olivia’s and in the early years she was involved in little athletics and ran at national level winning gold in the 400m All Schools Championships. She has held the titles of U20 100m and 200m state champion and made the finals of numerous prestigious races including the Bay Sheffield and the Stawell Gift.

Olivia has strained her hamstring on five occasions this year whilst balancing her physiotherapy studies and work as a Disability Support Worker all of this whilst preparing to represent the UoA at the UniSport Athletics Nationals.

President’s Scholarship
Hockey player Shu Aoki and gymnast Lachlan Davis were successful recipients of the President’s Scholarship.

Lachlan was one of five gymnasts selected to compete for Australia in July at the Chengdu 2023 FISU Summer World University Games in Chengdu, China and finished 15th out of 85 competitors.

Lachlan competed in artistic gymnastics which included the pommel horse, vault, and floor exercises. 

Shu’s contributions to the AU Hockey Club vary from on and off the field. Shu has represented the club in Metro 1 (M1M) and Premier League. He scored the most goals in the M1M competition which led to Shu winning a few games last season of his own stick.

Shu also takes photos of higher-grade men’s and women’s teams during the season and this year he was helping the Premier League women’s team with video recordings of the games.

Don Stranks Scholarship
Layan Saadeh plays football for the AU Football Club in the Adelaide Football League. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with her teammates and building a great culture at AU Football. In 2022, following injury she moved into an assistant coaching role, supporting training and game day operations. Layan was recognised as the 'Best Team Woman' of the A grade team in 2022 for her efforts to support the team on and off field.

Frances Adamson Scholarship
AU Boat Club student representative Jemima Richter is a back-to-back scholarship recipient having received a Bob Heddle Scholarship in 2022.

Jemima received a Full Blue for the AU Boat Club last year, the highest recognition for sporting achievement by students of the UoA and is a student member of the committee.