Grant and scholarships awarded to next generation of Australian athletes

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk and Lady Mayoress Anne Quirk of Brisbane, Australia, announced Next Generation Athlete grants and scholarships to 17 local athletes at a reception held at the Town Hall on Tuesday (25 July).

The fourth round of the programme is intended to help athletes realise their sporting dreams and is supported by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust. It could also assist in their preparation for the 2019 International Federation for Intellectual Impairment Sport (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) Global Games, which are being held in the Australian city.

“Over the last 50 years the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust has improved the wellbeing of the most marginalised and vulnerable members of our community. I would like to congratulate all recipients today and take this opportunity to thank Sport Inclusion Australia for their hard work and dedication to facilitate inclusiveness in all sports across the Brisbane community. It is our pleasure to make a positive difference in the lives of these young athletes,” Quirk, who is also an World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games Patron, said.

Inspired by fellow Brisbane resident and world welterweight boxing champion Jeff Horn, the Lord Mayor also provided some encouraging words to athletes: “Follow your dream to be the best that you can be in your sporting endeavours.”

Athletes acknowledged the support of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust and the importance of the grants in helping them meet the costs of training, equipment and competition as they strive to reach their potential.

Grants and scholarships were awarded to athletes across athletics, cricket, indoor cricket, netball, swimming and tennis.

“Sport Inclusion Australia is delighted to have developed the Next Generation Athlete programme with the support of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust. The Next Generation Athlete programme is an innovative way of identifying and supporting young athletes with an intellectual impairment in the Brisbane metropolitan region on their athletic pathway. It will assist aspiring young athletes with the help of state sporting organisations and Queensland school sport to provide an opportunity to compete at local, state, national and international level and if possible the 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games here in Brisbane,” Robyn Smith, Chief Executive of Sport Inclusion Australia, said.

The presentation also provided an opportunity to release the latest Next Generation Athlete promotional video highlighting stories of current scholarship holders. Jack Ireland (swimming), Yasmin Sanders (tennis), Mac Russell (rowing) and Alberto Campbell-Staines (athletics) have all benefitted from the project.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games Ambassador and Paralympic medallist swimmer Daniel Fox was also in attendance.

The next round will open in December 2017 with grants and scholarships to be awarded in 2018.

Grant recipients
Alex Baker (tennis)
Haydn Brumm (cricket)
Thomas Burrows (athletics)
Harry Cahill (swimming)
Jennifer Collins (netball)
Summer Dullaway (swimming)
Caitlin Kerby (swimming)
Shane Kuilboer (indoor cricket)
Lisa Lenton (netball)
Shaun McKee (indoor cricket)
Patrick O’Brien (swimming)
Ashley-Kate Schlenner (swimming)
Chelsea Stebbing (swimming)
Brett Wilson (cricket)
Aaron Wood (cricket)

Scholarships
Yasmin Sanders (tennis)
Bailey Stewart (swimming)

The 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games will gather more than 1,000 athletes from around the world to compete in nine sports between 9-20 October.