Tassie students shape up for Games

UNIVERSITY isn’t always fun and games but next week it will be for the University of Tasmania team heading to the Gold Coast for the UniSports Games.

The division one section of the annual event will have representatives from 43 universities across Australia competing in 32 different sports over seven days starting from Saturday.

UTAS will have its largest ever team competing at the highest-level sporting competition for Australian universities, with 82 competitors across nine sports.

Jack Hudson, who holds a scholarship at UTAS and competed at the squash World Junior Championships last year, will be captain of the UTAS team.

The bachelor of social science student will compete in the individual squash tournament before teaming up with fellow UTAS students to compete in the team event.

“Previously in 2016 they had a squash team head away, so this is the first time for a little while that UTAS has had a team,” Hudson said.

“We’ve got quite a strong team this year.”

It will be Hudson’s first time at the games and the 19year-old is eager to experience the event he has heard so much about from returning competitors. “They’ve told me it’s really fun, so I’m looking forward to it,” Hudson said.

“That team environment will be really good and it’s going to be great to be able to strengthen relationship with the people you’re around. I’m hoping to meet some new people and be a good leader.”