NSWIS scholars ready for World Uni Games lessons ‘n learnings

Thirteen New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship athletes were selected to represent Australia at this July’s 2025 FISU World University Games – one of the world’s most prestigious multi-sport meetings – in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany.

The NSWIS XIII includes:

• Delta Amidzovski – Long Jump & 100m Hurdles (pictured above)
• Isaac Beacroft – 20km Walk
• Luke Boyes – 800m
• Sam Dale – Long Jump
• Lianna Davidson – Javelin
• Kristie Edwards – 200m
• Chris Ius – 200m
• Hayley Kitching – 800m
• Alex Kolesnikoff – Shot Put
• Connor Murphy – Triple Jump
• Desleigh Owusu – Triple Jump
• Allanah Pitcher – 20km Walk
• Erin Shaw – High Jump

Meanwhile, Debbi Schulstad (GEN32+ Coach and 2000 Sydney Olympian) was selected to attend the Games as a Team Coach.

Michael Perry, NSWIS’s State Performance Advisor, Athletics, said it was a tremendous to see so many NSWIS scholarship athletes in the squad, adding it was a perfect opportunity for those with aspirations to compete at the 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Championships to monitor where they’re at.

“The World University Games will be a great hit out for those athletes wanting further preparation for the world championships,” he said. “They’ll get a high level of competition short of two months before the world championships.

“It will provide a good indication for them to know where they’re at, and also time to make any adjustments if necessary. I’m also pleased to see Debbi was selected as a coach. She’s been involved in a number of national teams as a soft tissue specialist, but she will gain a lot from this experience.”

Australia will contribute its largest ever athletics squad – numbering 66 – to join the 8,500 athletes and officials from 150 nations set to descend on Germany. The Games are highly regarded for providing an invaluable opportunity for athletes to compete and live in a unique championship setting, combining elite competition with academic ambition and providing athletes with a vital taste of international exposure. 

Among the NSWIS cohort is Olympians Kristie Edwards and Connor Murphy as well as Under-20 world champions Delta Amidzovski and Isaac Beacroft.

Amidzovski, the reigning World Under 20 long jump champion, aims to use Rhine-Ruhr as a launchpad toward the 2025 World Athletics Championships and 2026 Commonwealth Games.

“It’s an exciting part of my career getting the opportunity to step up to Senior competition,” Amidzovski told Australian Athletics. “It’s a big challenge, but also a great chance to grow and test myself at a new level.

“Coming in as a World Under 20 champion definitely gives me confidence but I’m going up against more experienced athletes, which will also be key for my preparation towards bigger stages like the World Championships.”

Australian Athletics General Manager – High Performance Andrew Faichney praised both the size and strength of the team travelling to Germany.

“This is not only the largest athletics team we’ve sent to a World University Games but one of the strongest in recent years. The team reflects the incredible depth of talent rising through our university system, with Olympians, global medallists and future stars all wearing the green and gold,” Faichney said.

“The World University Games are a pivotal platform in an athlete’s development, combining the pressures of high-level competition with the discipline of balancing sport and study. It’s an environment that can help build resilience and performance, and for many, it’s a launching pad to future success on the world stage.”

UniSport Australia CEO Mark Sinderberry added:

“Being selected to represent Australia as a UniRoo is a significant honour for any university athlete,: Sinderberry said.

“The FISU Summer World University Games are the pinnacle of international university sport and outside the Olympics, they are the world’s largest multi-sport event. Selection as a UniRoo provides an incredible pathway to compete on the world stage.”

* To be eligible to compete, athletes must be between the ages of 18 and 25, and either currently studying a diploma or higher at a recognised tertiary institution, or have graduated in the previous calendar year. 

Australian Athletics Team for the 2025 FISU World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, 16-27 July:

Women:
100m: Georgia Harris (QLD, Griffith University), Olivia Inkster (NSW, University of Technology Sydney)
200m: Jessica Milat (VIC, Deakin University), Kristie Edwards (NSWIS, Charles Sturt University)
800m: Hayley Kitching (NSWIS, Penn State University)
1500m: Klara Dess (VIC, The Australian National University)
5000m: Dess, Bronte Oates (NSW, University of Technology Sydney)
10,000m: Oates, Saskia Lloyd (VIC, Tim O’Shaughnessy, University of Melbourne)
Half Marathon: Bianca Puglisi (VIC, Victoria University)
100m Hurdles: Delta Amidzovski (NSWIS, University of Wollongong), Emelia Surch (QLD, Griffith University)
400m Hurdles: Alesha Bennetts (ACT, University of Canberra), Isabella Guthrie (NSW, University of South Australia)
20km Race Walk: Rebecca Henderson (VIC, University of Melbourne), Olivia Sandery (SA, Flinders University), Elizabeth McMillen (NSW, Griffith University), Alannah Pitcher (NSWIS, Sydney University), Alexandra Griffin (WA, University of Western Australia)
High Jump: Erin Shaw (NSWIS, University of New England), Alexandra Harrison (NSW, University of Sydney)
Pole Vault: Georgia Tayler (VIC, Deakin University), Tryphena Hewett (SA, University of South Australia)
Long Jump: Amidzovski, Samantha Dale (NSWIS, ACPE)
Triple Jump: Desleigh Owusu (NSWIS, Macquarie University)
Hammer Throw: Lara Roberts (QLD, Texas State University)
Javelin Throw: Lianna Davidson (NSWIS, University of Georgia), Mia Gordon (QLD, Curtin University)
Heptathlon: Surch, Mia Scerri (VIC, Monash University)

Men:
100m: Joseph Ayoade (NSW, University of Sydney), Connor Bond (NSW, Macquarie University)
200m: Aidan Murphy (SA,University of Adelaide), Christopher Ius (NSWIS, University of Sydney)
400m: Terrell Thorne (QLD, Queensland University of Technology), Thomas Reynolds (VIC, La Trobe University)
800m: Luke Boyes (NSWIS, University of Technology Sydney), Jack Lunn (VIC,  Monash University)
1500m: Max Shervington (WA, University of Western Australia), Adam Goddard (SA, Deakin University)
5000m: Jonathan Harris (SA, University of Adelaide), Toby Gillen (QLD, University of Mississippi)
10,000m: Cael Mulholland (SA, Loyola University Chicago)
Half Marathon: Tom Bowers (VIC, Monash University), Benjamin Beischer (VIC, University of Melbourne), Connor Latouf (QLD, University of Queensland), Luca Di Conza (VIC, University of Melbourne), Ben Ludbrook (VIC,Australian Catholic University)
110m Hurdles: Austin Little (NSW, University of Sydney), Colby Eddowes (ACT, Arkansas State University)
400m Hurdles: Thomas Hunt (NSW, Western Sydney University)
20km Race Walk: Tim Fraser (ACT, University of Canberra), Will Thompson (VIC, Australian Catholic University), Isaac Beacroft (NSWIS, Australian Catholic University), Mitchell Baker (ACT, University of Canberra), Corey Dickson (ACT, Swinburne University of Technology)
High Jump: Roman Anastasios (VIC, University of Melbourne)
Pole Vault: Aiden Princena-White (NSW, University of Technology Sydney), Ben Conacher (WA, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
Long Jump: Liam Fairweather (NSW, University of Newcastle), Alex Epitropakis (QLD, University of Southern Queensland)
Triple Jump: Connor Murphy (NSWIS, Sydney University), Liam Glew (VIC, Deakin University)
Shot Put: Alexander Kolesnikoff (NSWIS, University of Georgia)
Discus Throw: Etienne Rousseau (WA, University of Western Australia)
Javelin Throw: Oscar Sullivan (QLD, University of Queensland)
Decathlon: Benjamin Guse (QLD, Southern Cross University), Sebastian Reyneke (VIC, RMIT)

Daniel Lane, NSWIS with Sascha Ryner, Australian Athletics