PM's scholarships a boost for sporting students
Published by Communications and Development
12 November 2009
Twenty-two University of Canterbury students have received Prime Minister’s Scholarships this year to help them juggle tertiary study and sport commitments.
Sprinter David Ambler, basketballer Georgina Richards and engineering doctoral student Lindsey Underwood were among those acknowledged at a recent ceremony at QEII Stadium, Christchurch, for Prime Minister Athlete, Coach and Team Scholarship recipients from the upper South Island.
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UC student Georgina Richards. |
The scholarships were established by the Government in 2000 to ensure athletes were provided with educational opportunities to better support their careers after sport and to encourage the professional development of the coaches, officials and support crew assisting New Zealand’s elite sportspeople.
Athletes can receive up to $10,000 for study fees along with a living allowance of up to $6000 an academic year, while coaches, officials and support team members can receive up to $50,000 each year for up to three years.
David, who began study for a Bachelor of Sport Coaching at UC this year, has just had his most successful season to date.
In March he set a New Zealand men’s under 19 record, running the 100 metres in 10.35 seconds, which also broke the 35-year-old stadium record previously set at QEII during the 1974 Commonwealth Games by Jamaican Don Quarrie. In July he finished seventh in the 100m final of the World University Games and he was named 2009 Canterbury Athletics Sprinter of the Year.
David, who runs for Old Boys United Athletic Club, said he was really pleased to receive the scholarship.
“I wasn’t looking forward to getting out a massive student loan. Now I’ll be able to finish sport and end up with a degree as well.”
David recently had his first race of the 2009/2010 season in New Caledonia and said the country had had a big impact on him and inspired him to take a French paper during the upcoming UC Summer Programme.
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UC PhD student Lindsey Underwood. |
He said it could be hard juggling training with study, particularly because of all the travel time involved getting to competitions, so he has had to get very proficient at studying at altitude and completing assignments in transit.
David said his future goals were to qualify for every major championship coming up, including the 2010 Commonwealth Games, World Championships in 2011 and the 2012 Olympics, but first he has his sights set on breaking 10.25 seconds and would love to add an Australasian title to his CV this season.
For third-year BSc student Georgina it is the second time she has received a PM Scholarship, having received one in her first year of study when she was captain of the Under 19 NZ basketball team. Georgina, who this year captained the Canterbury Wildcats, has been member of the Tall Ferns squad for 18 months and was named in the team this year, playing three games against Japan and in the recent Oceania series against Australia.
The geology major, who plans to go on to masters next year, said playing for the Tall Ferns in the 2012 Olympic campaign was her big sporting goal and she has been spending plenty of time shooting hoops in the University’s Recreation Centre to work on her individual game.
PhD student Lindsey is the recipient of a Prime Minister’s Support Team Scholarship along with BikeNZ sport scientist Craig Palmer.
Lindsey started a PhD in track cycling aerodynamics at UC in October 2008, having moved here from the UK where she completed her Masters in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Birmingham.
She is working with BikeNZ on its 2012 Olympic Games campaign. The main aims of her PhD research are to determine the optimal position of athletes in the individual and team pursuit events, and to create a mathematical model to predict the finishing time and optimal pacing strategy for the athletes involved.
“We’re basically changing the position of cyclists to reduce drag so they go faster. We bring in NZ’s elite athletes for testing in our wind tunnel and change their head position, arm position, seat height and handlebar position, and we record their drag. The lower the number, the better.”
Lindsey has also been involved in equipment testing of bicycles, helmets and skinsuits.
Lindsey used the scholarship to visit the wind tunnel at the San Diego Air and Space Technology Centre in the US with BikeNZ in August. During the visit the riding position of Kiwi cyclists Alison Shanks and Jesse Sergent were tested in the wind tunnel, as well as a number of different combinations of track frames and wheels to identify the most aerodynamic bike set-up for individual riders.
“It was brilliant to be able to see what other people do, how they work and compare data,” said Lindsey.
She is currently developing the cycle rig and testing process back at UC using the information she gained from San Diego to improve the accuracy and efficiency for future athlete testing.
While results have varied between athletes the engineering-sport science team has seen improvements across the board. Lindsey said she was really enjoying her research work and was not bothered at all by helping to give Kiwi cyclists the edge.
“It’s just really good to be involved and meet the athletes and be part of a small team helping them,” she said.
Other PM Scholarships awarded to UC students went to: Annabelle Coates, Timothy McKee, Sarah McSweeney, Rebecca Wardell (athletics); Catherine Jordan, Adam Stewart (cycling); Sophie Devine, Peter Younghusband (cricket); Simon Gordon (equestrian); Nick Haig, Elizabeth Perry (hockey); Charlotte Kight (netball); Kerri Bonner, Theresa Griffin (paralympics); William Meates (rowing); Olivia Coady, Benjamin Funnell (rugby); Annabelle Carey (swimming) and Andrea Hewitt (triathlon).
For further information please contact:
Maria De Cort
Communications Officer
University of Canterbury
Ph: +64 3 364 2072
maria.decort@canterbury.ac.nz