8 August 2008

With the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games underway, Victoria University (VU) is well-represented not only by six of its current students, but also several illustrious alumni.

Taking up a prominent position on the world's largest sporting stage is Luke Doerner, a graduate of VU's Bachelor of Arts degree in Recreation Management in 2004, and a star defender on the Australian men's hockey team.

Luke, 29, took up hockey in Altona at age 13, and was a great force in helping Australia win gold in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

In this, his Olympic debut, Luke will join the number one ranked Kookaburras, a team that took out gold in Athens, and is widely considered as a gold medal favourite in Beijing.

Also making an Olympic debut is Dellys Starr, who earned an Associate Diploma of Arts in Recreation and Fitness Leadership from VU in 1998. The 31-year-old will compete in the women's cross-country mountain bike event.

A native of Diamond Valley in Melbourne, Dellys' won the 2006 national championships despite breaking her bike part way through the course, to qualify for the 2006 Commonwealth Games and compete before a home crowd. She is now Australia's national women's champion.

Working behind the scenes and covering the Games for Channel 7, is five-time Olympian Andrew Gaze. A graduate of VU's Bachelor of Applied Science in 1996, Andrew is undoubtedly Australia's most successful and best known basketballer.

The 43-year-old father-of-four was the flag-bearer during the 2000 Sydney Olympics and was the first VU athlete inducted into its Sport Hall of Fame in 2002.

Another VU alumnus, Mike McKay - part of the famous 'oarsome foursome' team of coxless rowers - will also be covering the games this year.

Mike, 44, earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in 1987 from VU's predecessor institution, Footscray Institute of Technology, followed by a Masters of Business Administration from VU in 1998.

The five-time Olympian was part of world champion rowing teams in 1990 and 1991, and helped Australia take home Olympic gold medals in 1992 and 1996, silver in 2000, and bronze in 2004. Mike was inducted into the VU Sport Hall of Fame in 2003.

Current VU students who will compete in Beijing are: Ali Abdo - Wrestling; Tarren Otte - Synchronised Swimming; Tania Luiz - Badminton; Erin Carroll -Badminton; Dennis Iverson -Judo; and Danni di Toro - Wheelchair Tennis.

Media Contacts:
Ms Christine White, Media Manager,
Marketing & Communications Department, Victoria University
Ph: (03) 9919 4322; mobile: 0434 602 884

Andy Gash, Snr. Media Officer,
Marketing & Communications Department, Victoria University
Ph: (03) 9919 4950; mobile: 0411 255 900