MUSSE

Marieke Guehrer, Arts student and world champion swimmer

University of Melbourne swimmers, world champion Marieke Guehrer and World University Games team member Lloyd Townsing, have been awarded 2009/10 Australian Unity Educational Grants.

The grants which provide $6,500 for one year to assist with funding tertiary studies are designed to recognise and reward elite student athletes for their educational pursuits.

Lloyd Townsing is a final-year Commerce and Information Systems student at the University of Melbourne who, since breaking his neck in a snowboarding accident in 2001, has worked hard to achieve his goal of competing at the highest level both in and out of the pool.

The 24-year-old sprint freestyler will compete at the FINA Arena World Cups in Europe and Singapore next month, and as well as London 2012. He also has his sights firmly set on a Graduate Diploma in Environment on completing his first degree.

“Thanks to this grant, I’ll be able to cover the cost of completing my degrees and hopefully achieve my dream of competing at the 2012 Olympic Games in London,” he said.

Fellow Victorian and University of Melbourne student Marieke Guehrer has successfully combined study and swimming in the past 12 months on her way to a World Championship gold medal in Rome and world record at last year’s FINA Arena World Cup.

Ms Guehrer is completing a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in International Politics and also wants to study French or Italian on completion of her first degree.

“The money from the grant will help me to pay the fees for my current degree, and then I’m planning to enrol in a diploma of languages in French or Italian. It really means a lot to receive support for activities outside of the pool,” said Guehrer.

“We understand that it can be hard for athletes to juggle their swimming career with their studies. Our educational grants, now in their third year, are our way of trying to ease that burden,” says Australian Unity’s Group Managing Director Rohan Mead.