Issue 18. 17 November 2008 - UWA Staff - The University of Western ...

London and beyond
Having won gold in Beijing, Sport Science, Exercise
and Health graduate and Paralympian Justin Eveson
is passing on his passion and his skills to what he
hopes will be a new generation of superstars.
As a sports development practitioner at Wheelchair Sport WA,
he works to inspire young sportspeople.
Mr Eveson, whose postgraduate degree was in Exercise
Rehabilitation Science, said the moment when his wheelchair
basketball team snatched victory from their greatest rivals,
Canada, was one of the best of his life.
“Canada beat us in Athens and we came home with Silver.
So to beat them 72-60 in Beijing and claim Gold was
fantastic,” he said.
As well as basketball, a sport in which he plays a forward
position, Mr Eveson is a Paralympics swimmer, claiming
Bronze and Silver for this sport in Sydney.
He now has his sights set on the wheelchair basketball world
championships in Birmingham in 2010 and the London
Olympics in 2012, with training under way.
Another UWA graduate and Paralympian, javelin and shot putter
Damien Bowen, also has his eyes on London — and national
and international athletics meets between then and now.
for UWA
Paralympians
Justin Eveson’s Gold-winning style
Damien completed a Bachelor of Exercise and Health and a
Bachelor of Exercise Rehabilitation Science at UWA. Beijing,
where he competed in the javelin events, was his fi rst
Paralympics.
“Words can’t describe how amazing it was,” he said from
Canberra where he has his own exercise physiology business,
Vibe Physio and Rehab.
“Beijing exceeded every expectation. It was the best
Paralympics we’ve travelled away to. Obviously because
Sydney was home, it was special, but Beijing’s organisation
was superb and you got 50,000 people turning up to watch
some sessions, which is unheard of for Paralympics.
“Travelling around was easy and the people were really helpful.
Now it’s London and beyond!”
Celebrate the past with a group for the future
It was a night for nostalgia when members
gathered in the Old Senate Room in the Irwin Street
Building on James Oval to celebrate the
inauguration of the UWA Historical Society.
Simon Dawkins as Warden of Convocation and Reg
Appleyard, President of the Society, recollected their student
days when Simon spent many hours in pursuits other than
study and Reg bowled out former Prime Minister and
graduate Bob Hawke.
Vice-Chancellor Alan Robson launched the Society and
spoke with passion about his 42 years’ association with the
campus and his pride in being appointed the Hackett
Professor in Agriculture. He pointed out he was the fi rst
Vice-Chancellor to be a graduate of UWA and one of only
three Vice-Chancellors born in Australia. “It has taken us a
hundred years to get over our cultural cringe,” he said.
Professor Robson said it was not possible to make
decisions in the present or plan for the future without
understanding the past. He congratulated the Society on its
formation and commended the variety of projects it has
planned.
If you would like to attend Society events or participate in one
of the project teams, contact Heritage Offi cer, Shobha
Cameron at shobha.cameron@uwa.edu.au or on 6488 3556.
The University of Western Australia UWA NEWS 17 November 2008 9