In what is hopefully just the first peak of many successful careers, eight Monash students have returned home from the Chengdu 2021 FISU World Uni Games.

Postponed to 2023 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, over 10,000 student athletes descended on the capital of the Sichuan Province for the 12-day competition that was the biggest most of our athletes have ever competed in!

Selected by Australian National Sporting Organisations, all handled themselves with aplomb, giving great access to fans back home through the Team MONASH social accounts and should be proud of what they achieved.

Over 50 countries from around the world were represented, and Monash athletes competed across various athletics events, gymnastics, fencing, diving and rowing.

Monash was one of just 26 Australian Universities to have athletes selected to compete at the Games and we couldn’t be prouder.

Congratulations to Ben Whitmee and Nick Szigeter (Rowing), Mia Scerri (Heptathlon), Kipp Smith (Gymnastics), Hugo Bosnic (Fencing), Joshua Chua (Athletics - 100m) and to our two finalists, Hudson Skinner (Diving) and Jack Lunn (Athletics – 800m) for their efforts.

Hudson Skinner (Diving) placed 6th in the 1-metre final and 8th in the 3-metre final, an extraordinary achievement across two events.

“I really loved the atmosphere of the games and it was truly an honour to be able to represent both my country and my university,” Hudson said.

“To make finals and compete against the amazing divers from around the world as well as to compete in front of a large crowd was really exciting and was an experience that I'll cherish for a long time.”

Jack Lunn (Athletics – 800m) also enjoyed a fantastic achievement in qualifying for the 800-metre final, where he’d go on to finish 8th with less than a second to 1st! 

“The World University games was an incredible event for me. It was my first time in Chengdu, and my first time in China!” he began.

“Being part of an athlete village, and living with hundreds of talented, studious, and interesting individuals was something that only very few people can experience, and I’m very grateful for my ability to participate. Making the final was my goal, and I’m really glad that I could come away from the games having achieved this. Hopefully next time I can shoot for the podium!!”

Australia finished with a total of six medals: four bronze, one silver and a gold.

You can check out every medal from the Chengdu Games here and all the results here.

See all the Monash results in the graphics below: