UNSW Sport October Recap

October was a milestone month for UNSW student-athletes, with outstanding performances across international, national, and university competitions. From world championship stages to UniSport Nationals glory, UNSW athletes continued to make their mark across a wide range of sports.

Track star James Tirado represented Australia at the World Para-Athletic Championships in the T13 100m, narrowly missing out on a place in the final. Despite this, James described the event as “a great experience getting to debut on the world stage,” reflecting on a major personal and professional achievement.

The UNSW Kendo Club impressed at the 2025 NSW State Championship. The club secured remarkable results, including:

• Men’s Dan Team – 1st Place (Duy Pham, Michael Henstock, Yuto Yoshioka, Leo Hoang, Jayden Bennett)
• Men’s Kyu Team – 2nd Place (Daniel Santos, Andy Zhou, Jackie Liang, Kai Ngiam, Matthew Qiao)
• Women’s Kyu Individual – 3rd Place (Ziruo Zhu, Betina Li)
• Men’s Dan Fighting Spirit Award – Leo Hoang

In rugby league, Chloe Jackson earned selection for the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII, taking on Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby. Chloe contributed strongly in the 50-0 win, making 59 metres from seven hit-ups, breaking a tackle, and making 11 tackles in a commanding performance.

Logan Campbell continued his strong triathlon season, finishing the U23 Men’s event at the World Triathlon Championship Finals in Wollongong with an impressive time of 1:52. He followed this up with a silver medal at the Asian Triathlon Cup in Malaysia, underlining his growing consistency on the international circuit.

Jacob Preston, a UNSW Elite Athlete Program member and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs standout, capped off another strong NRL season with selection to the Kangaroos’ Ashes Squad. Following a campaign that saw him record 12 tries, 11 line breaks, and 814 tackles at 96% efficiency, Preston said he was “lost for words” when told of his selection — a reflection of his rapid rise through the professional ranks.

The UBL season came to a close with both UNSW teams showing strong progression in only their second year in the competition. The men’s team finished 7th overall and reached the quarter-finals, while the women’s team matched their regular-season record before bowing out to UTAS. With both sides finishing 4–5, they’ve set the foundation for a podium push in 2026.

Capping off a huge month, UNSW sent over 350 student-athletes to Surfers Paradise for UniSport Nationals 2025, competing against more than 6,000 students from across Australia. The university claimed gold medals in women’s badminton, men’s football, mixed netball, and men’s and women’s taekwondo, along with silver in touch football, fencing, and rowing, and bronze in sailing and fencing.

As another year of remarkable achievement draws to a close, the UNSW sporting community will come together on Friday, 14 November for the UNSW Sports Awards Gala Dinner; a night to celebrate the outstanding performances, dedication, and spirit that define sport at UNSW.