Eight Macquarie University students included in Australian Uniroos team for World University Games

Macquarie University student athletes gear up for World University Games

(L-R) Sirina Fan, Nicholas Brooks and Antonia Zhang will be among the Macquarie University cohort at the 2017 World University Games.

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The biggest sporting event of the year is about to get underway in Taiwan; even though you might not have heard of it.

The 2017 World University Games will see 12,000 athletes and officials from 140 countries gather in the beautiful city of Taipei for the 29th Summer Universiade.

Among them will be the largest ever Australian Uniroos team to compete in the competition with 186 student-athletes preparing to make their country and universities proud.

Eight Macquarie University students will be featured in the team across six sports: Pascalle Casey (water polo), Nicholas Brooks (water polo), Eve Ember (taekwondo), Alexandra Bartholomew (athletics), Antonia Zhang (table tennis), James Boyer (basketball), Jennifer Tam (badminton) and Sirina Fan (badminton).

“I’m super nervous, but at the same time really excited,” said Fan, who will be experiencing her first World University Games.

“I’ve never had an opportunity like this before so I reckon it will be really cool.”

Aiming for a podium finish at his second Universiade is water polo star Nicholas Brooks.

“I’m feeling good and prepared after just having come back from world champs,” he said.

“(The Uni Games) was good the first time but we probably could have done better than we did.

“We ended up coming seventh I think, but we beat the team that came second and drew with the team that came first. We’ve got probably about the same strength side as last time so I think we should go well, hopefully podium potential.”

The 2017 World University Games will begin on Saturday, August 19 and run until Wednesday, August 30.