A total of 45 Griffith students, alumni, swim squad athletes and coaching staff made the Australian Olympic team for Tokyo, which kicks off Friday evening.

Of the 34 student athletes selected, 24 are making their Games debut. They’re joined by nine alumni, of whom three are on debut.

Renowned swim coach Michael Bohl, who runs Griffith’s Swim Squad on the Gold Coast, is also on the team, in what will be his fifth Olympic campaign.

Griffith Sports College Manager Naomi McCarthy OAM, a dual Olympian with Gold in Sydney in 2000, said Griffith’s contribution to the Games this year represented almost double the number of student athletes competing in Rio in 2016.

“Griffith student athletes and alumni will represent Australia in the sports of swimming, shooting, sailing, boxing, canoeing, cycling, athletics track and field, artistic swimming, badminton, football, triathlon, rugby 7s, diving, hockey, water polo, weightlifting, and rowing,” McCarthy said.

“We have a large number of Griffith athletes making their debut but we also have a wealth of experience in the team, including Education student Dani Stevens, heading to her fourth Games in Discus.

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“Meanwhile Biomedical Science alumnus Bronwen Knox is the first Australian woman to make four Games in Water Polo.

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“The determination of these athletes to push themselves to the limits of human endeavour holds them in great stead for their careers after representative sport.

“We take great pride in knowing that Griffith Sports College has helped them continue their training and competition commitments alongside study opportunities.”

“We are thrilled to see so many Griffith University connections on their way to the Games,” Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans said.

“Nine percent of the athletes named in the Australian Olympic team are part of the Griffith family, which is truly something to celebrate.

“Their inclusion in the Australian team represents years of training and we congratulate them on their willingness to keep striving for greatness despite a global pandemic and continued interruptions to their preparations.”

Selected student athletes:

Selected Griffith swim squad athlete / coaching staff:

Selected Alumni: