Universiade drawing to a close

Five NSWIS athletes have picked up medals at the 2011 Universiade in China, with one day of competition left in Shenzhen.

Prashanth Sellathurai began the medal charge with gold in the men’s pommel horse, tallying 15.700 points to defeat opponents from Belarus, Romania, Korea and Japan. The win complements Sellathurai’s stellar 2011 world cup season where topped the overall crown in the men’s pommel horse, the first time an Australian had achieved such a result.

NSWIS swimmers David McKeon and Mitchell Dixon then combined with compatriots Nick Ffrost and Kristopher Taylor to win bronze in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay. The Australian team clocked a time of 7:17.58 to finish behind USA and Japan.

McKeon went on to claim his second medal and the Institute’s second gold of the games, taking out the men’s 400m freestyle. McKeon won in 3:48.78 to out-touch his fast finishing American opponent.

Sailors James Burman and Alex South added a silver to the medal tally after finishing second in the team laser radial event, before runner Lachlan Renshaw went on to claim gold in the men’s 800m. Renshaw put on a textbook burst of speed late in the race to power home to victory.