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July brought a new wave of standout performances across international and national competitions, with UNSW athletes continuing to impress on the world stage. From gold medals in cricket and rowing to international call-ups in football and para-athletics, it was a month packed with achievements.

Rowing star Nikolas Pender was part of the Australian Men’s Eight that reclaimed the Grand Challenge Cup at the 2025 Henley Royal Regatta, matching the course record in a dominant final win over Team NL Roeien from the Netherlands. It marks the first time Australia has won the Grand since 2018. Pender has enjoyed a successful international season, also securing gold in the Men’s Four at both World Cup 1 and 2.

Also competing at Henley was Jacqui Swick, representing Australia in the Women’s Eight. Her crew was knocked out by Great Britain in the semi-finals, but Swick continued her strong international form after winning silver in the Women’s Four at World Cup 1 and 2 and bronze in the Women’s Eight at World Cup 1.

James Tirado has been selected for the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, where he will represent Australia in the Men’s T13 100m. The Elite Athlete Program sprinter has had an outstanding 2025 season, highlighted by gold at the Illawarra Track Challenge and a dominant performance at the UniSport Nationals on the Gold Coast, where he claimed the T13 100m title and set a new UNSW record.

Tamsin Colley made history at the UniSport Nationals Distance Running by winning gold in the inaugural multi-class 10km event, finishing in 54:32. As a passionate advocate for inclusion in sport, Tamsin was instrumental in the introduction of this category and became its first-ever champion.

Rising football talent Avaani Prakash was named in the CommBank Young Matildas U-20 squad for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Thailand 2026™ Qualifiers, to be held this month. The 17-year-old continues a remarkable rise after signing her first professional contract with Western United in October 2023, going on to make 14 appearances in the Liberty A-League Women. Australia will face Tajikistan, Palestine, and Chinese Taipei in Group C, with the top two advancing to the final tournament.

Sophie Fawns and the NSW Swifts came heartbreakingly close to a grand final berth in the Super Netball League, falling 66–65 to the Melbourne Vixens in the preliminary final. Despite leading 51–41 heading into the final quarter, the Vixens mounted the biggest comeback in league history to snatch the win in the final seconds. We wish Sophie all the best as she looks ahead to the 2026 season.

Triston Reilly delivered a memorable performance for the First Nations and Pasifika XV, scoring the opening try in their invitational match against the British & Irish Lions at Marvel Stadium. Despite trailing 14–0 early, the FNP side rallied to level the score at halftime. The Lions edged ahead in the second half, but Reilly and his teammates fought back late, ultimately falling short in a 24–19 thriller.

Our intervarsity mixed netball team successfully defended their title at the UNE Tri Series in Tamworth, hosted by the University of New England. Competing against teams from UNE, USYD, and ANU, the UNSW squad once again lifted the championship trophy.

UNSW made history at the UniSport Nationals T20 Cricket tournament, going undefeated to win the university’s first gold medal in the event since 2017. The team started with dominant wins over USQ and USC, including a hat-trick from Matthew Jones, and key contributions from Akshay Prasan, Joseph Gillard, Ethan Jamieson, and Henry Pike. Tight victories over UTS and ANU followed, thanks to strong performances from Mac Webster, Arnav Raina, and Jamieson once again. After topping Pool A with further wins over UNE and defending champions UQ, UNSW defeated UWA in a thrilling semi-final, with Cameron Frendo guiding the team home. In the grand final, UNSW posted 182 before Frendo and Nirav Prasan shut down UTS with the ball to secure a 41-run victory and the gold. Special thanks to Arc Sport and Dan Kwon for their work assembling and supporting the squad on the Sunshine Coast.

Several UNSW athletes helped Handball NSW win the Junior Handball National Championships on the Gold Coast. The team featured Lucas Velasque (EAP), Franciszek Lesniak (EAP), David Li, and Kurtis Chui, and secured the title in a best-of-three series against Queensland, winning 2–1.

Three UNSW elite athlete students — Avaani Prakash, Jacqueline Swick, and Charlotte Wilson — were awarded Athlete Education Scholarships (AES) from the Australian Institute of Sport in recognition of their sporting achievements. Wilson, who was named Snow Australia Junior Athlete of the Year – Mogul Skiing in April, is balancing elite competition with her studies in biomedical engineering. “Financial support makes a world of difference not only to my education but also to my sporting success,” she said. “Eventually, there will be life after sport, and by starting my studies now, I already feel more prepared for when that day comes.”
More information on the AES program can be found .

From standout international achievements in rowing, football, and para-athletics to a historic gold in cricket and continued success in netball, July was another reminder of the strength and diversity of UNSW’s sporting talent. As we head into the back half of the year, we look forward to seeing more successes at the individual and team level with a lot of student athletes poised for Sports Awards nominations already.