What:  Greater Building Society Olympic Scholarships Awarded
When: Thursday November 4, 2010 at 10.30 am
Where: Souths Leagues Club, Llewellyn Street, Merewether

Delhi Commonwealth Games gold medallist Benn Harradine and London Olympics’ sailing test event winner Nathan Outteridge, are two of ten athletes to receive a boost to their London Olympics preparations today. 

A total of 10 athletes across 10 different sports have been awarded a $2,000 Greater Building Society Sport Scholarship. There are four, first-time, scholarship winners this year. They are track and field sprinter Laura Whaler, archer Liam Mowbray, clay target shooter Russel McCloy and 14 year old water polo player Georgia McConville.
 
The annual scholarships are managed for the Greater by the Hunter Academy of Sport. In addition to funding, they also receive advice from the Academy’s consultants in areas such as sports psychology, nutrition, physical fitness, injury prevention and injury treatment.

Academy chief executive Ken Clifford said that after the success of Australia’s Delhi Commonwealth Games team, local athletes are buoyed and have their sights set firmly on London.

“Competition to get into the Australian Olympic team will be very tough and these scholarships will help some of the Hunter’s best and brightest chances to achieve their dream of representing the region and their country,” Mr Clifford said. 

“For the first time this year we have awarded scholarships to athletes in the sports of clay target shooting and archery, which shows just how broad the Hunter’s sporting talent is becoming,” he said. 

Greater Building Society chief executive officer Don Magin said that people in regional Australia had to overcome additional challenges in trying to compete at an international level.

Mr Magin said that in the 18 years in which the scholarship program has been running, the Greater has helped 80 athletes to represent Australia at the world’s premier sporting event. Seven of Australia’s 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic teams were current or former Greater Sports Scholarship holders.

“The Greater is proud to be supporting Hunter and Manning athletes to go for gold in London,” Mr Magin said.

“The Greater is owned by members for members, so we put some of our profits back into helping grass roots and elite sports people in the communities in which we operate,” Mr Magin said.
 
The Greater Building Society almost doubled its funding of the Academy this year to support the introduction of new initiatives to help more athletes and their families to meet the costs of attending programs and competing in their chosen sports. It also supports the Academy’s athletics and tennis as well as its annual awards night.

The London Games will be held from July 27 to August 12, 2012. Athletes will compete in 26 sports.

Media information: Media are welcome to attend the event. Contact Craig Eardley on 0437 477 493 or Ken Clifford on 4926 4892. List of winners attached. For information on the Olympics visit www.olympics.com.au