UNSW Sport April Recap

April delivered one of the most complete months across the UNSW sporting calendar, with athletes and clubs producing results at national, international and intervarsity level. From podium finishes to representative honours, performances across multiple sports highlighted the depth, consistency and upward trajectory of the program.

Both Abigail Worswick and Reuben Hansen represented NSW at the 2026 Australian Men’s & Mixed Netball Championships, delivering strong campaigns across their respective divisions. Worswick was part of the NSW Mixed Open squad, with the side progressing through the rounds to reach the grand final, where they were narrowly defeated by South Australia in a one-goal result, finishing with a silver medal. Hansen competed in the NSW Men’s Open A squad, where NSW produced a dominant tournament, advancing through the competition before defeating Western Australia 43–36 in the grand final to secure the gold medal and national title. The pair are no strangers to success, having been key members of the UNSW mixed netball side that claimed the university’s first ever gold at UniSport Nationals 2025. Hansen’s individual performance was also recognised, earning selection as All Star AMMNA Open A Wing Defence, highlighting his impact across the championships.

UNSW Wests Water Polo representatives were well featured in the Australian Men’s team at the 2026 Men’s Water Polo World Cup Division 2, with Matt Byrnes (EAP), Angus Lambie (alumnus), Charlie Negus (club member), Tim Putt (EAP) and Savo Todic all contributing to a strong campaign. Australia dominated the group stage with convincing wins over Malta, China and Slovakia, progressing to the quarter-finals unbeaten. They were then edged by Germany in a tight contest, before responding strongly in the classification matches to finish the tournament on a high. The side secured 5th place overall, defeating Romania in a penalty shootout. A standout storyline was the emergence of Savo Todic, an 18-year-old Magpies junior who recently spent the season in Serbia with Champions League club Sabac, making his senior men’s international debut in Malta.

Australian representative tenpin bowler Julian Dinham delivered a dominant performance to claim back-to-back titles at the 2026 Australian Open, winning the landmark 50th edition of the event at Wyncity Keon Park. Leading from the opening session, Dinham never relinquished top spot across the 31-game tournament, finishing with a 7,411 pin total at an average of 235.2. He set the tone early before extending his advantage and closing out the title in matchplay, placing himself among a select group of bowlers to win back-to-back titles in the event’s history. Justin Dinham also featured prominently, finishing 6th overall, with three members of the Dinham family placing inside the top 10.

UNSW Taekwondo Club delivered a strong showing at the South Coast Open Taekwondo Championships, with 24 members competing and the club securing 3 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze medals across sparring and poomsae events. Nicholas Anderson led the results, claiming gold in the Male Senior (17+ years) Blue Belt 68–74kg division, while Selina Huang secured gold in the Female Individual Traditional Poomsae (18–30 years) Red Belt category and Sally Wang added gold in the Female Senior (17+ years) Black Belt 53–57kg sparring division. Silver medals were awarded to Angelo Zhou in the Male Senior (17+ years) Blue Belt 68–74kg, Alex Chen in the Male Senior (17+ years) Black Belt 80–87kg, Hayley Liang in the Female Senior (17+ years) Red Belt Under 48kg and Female Individual Traditional Poomsae (18–30 years) Red Belt, and Sally Wang in the Female Senior (17+ years) Black Belt 49–53kg. Bronze medal performances came from John Doumit in the Male Senior (17+ years) Black Belt 58–63kg and William Nguyen in the Male Senior (17+ years) Black Belt 80–87kg. Additional results saw Douglas Cooney compete in the Male Individual Traditional Poomsae (18–30 years) Red Belt category, Adina Tan compete in the Female WT Individual Poomsae (18–30 years) Black Belt division, and William Nguyen also feature in the Male 20/20 Armor Power Kick (18–30 years) Black Belt event, rounding out a well-balanced showing across multiple disciplines.

The 2025 Club of the Year, UNSW Rugby Club, opened its season with strong wins in First and Second Grade against St Patrick’s as they begin their push to defend the Barraclough Cup, while other grades recorded mixed results. They followed this up in Round 2 against Irish with wins in First, Second and Third Grade, while Colts and Women’s recorded losses.

UNSW’s partnership with the Sydney Swans delivered another standout student experience in April, with 200 students attending the Sydney Derby against the GWS Giants at the SCG. Played in front of a record 43,986 crowd, the match featured strong UNSW representation, with Joel Amartey, Callum Mills, James Rowbottom, Sam Wicks, Logan McDonald and Angus Sheldrick all taking the field in a dominant 107–66 victory. Despite a lightning delay, the atmosphere remained strong throughout, particularly for the 140+ students attending their first AFL match at the venue.

UNSW athletes competed across all major national athletics events in April, beginning with the Australian Athletics Championships where they took on the country’s best across track and field. Tamsin Colley led the results, winning gold in the 800m PA and bronze in the 400m PA, both in season best times. Liam Bennett cleared 2.00m to finish 8th in the high jump, with Joshua Suto placing 12th, while Dan Nguyen and Manaia Coulter recorded personal bests in the throws. On the track, Jasynta Lampret ran a personal best 13.60 in the 100m hurdles, with several others competing strongly across sprint and middle-distance events.

That same group, alongside a broader squad, then represented UNSW at the UniSport Nationals Athletics Championships, delivering a composed and efficient campaign to finish fourth overall against more than 500 student-athletes from 38 universities. The 25-athlete team secured 15 medals across sprint, distance, field and Para events, with Josh Lotsu and Jasynta Lampret claiming gold, while Tamsin Colley produced one of the defining performances of the meet with four Para titles. Caitlyn Tan added another gold in the 10,000 metres, supported by multiple silver medal performances across the squad.

UNSW athletes also competed at the UniSport Nationals Triathlon Championships in Wollongong, continuing that run of national-level competition across endurance sport. Casper Larkin led the way in the men’s Standard, finishing 4th overall and 2nd in UniSport rankings, while Bella Marles secured bronze in the women’s event. Oliver Robinson claimed bronze in the Sprint, with Sophie Ferenczi and Vanessa Stanmore adding further depth. Across both formats, consistent performances saw the team finish 3rd overall and secure bronze in the UniSport standings.

The rowing club competed at the Edward Trickett Regatta, claiming the Grade Championships trophy for a third consecutive year in a special edition marking 150 years since Trickett became Australia’s first sporting world champion. It was a complete squad performance across all grades, with consistent racing translating into 6 gold, 7 silver and 2 bronze medals across the program. The result reflects both depth and cohesion within the squad, with crews performing across multiple boat classes to secure the overall points score and continue the club’s sustained success at the regatta.

At the Canoe Slalom National Championships in Penrith, Dominic Curtin and Mark Crosbee competed alongside Olympic champions Jess and Noemie Fox, delivering strong performances against a high-calibre field. Curtin produced one of the standout individual results of the event, securing bronze in the K1 before backing it up with a silver medal in the C1 final, demonstrating his versatility across both disciplines. Crosbee also delivered consistent performances, finishing 10th in the K1 and narrowly missing the podium with a 5th-place result in the C1, rounding out a strong showing across both events on the national stage.

April wasn’t just about results, it was about consistency across every level of the program. From national championships to UniSport competition and international representation, athletes delivered across multiple fronts and converted when it mattered. With podium finishes, team success and continued progression across disciplines, the month reinforced the depth, standard and competitiveness of UNSW sport as it continues to perform on the national stage.