Some of South Australia’s brightest young national and international sports representatives are among the recipients of the 2008 Flinders University Sport and Fitness Scholarships.

Adelaide Lightning teammates Jess Foley [pictured] and Mia Newley were recognised for their excellence in basketball, alongside former Team South Australia.com cyclist Gene Bates, swimmer Karina Leane, and member of the Under 19 Matilda’s Soccer squad Katerina Bexis.

Awarded annually, the Flinders University Sport and Fitness Scholarships are designed to help elite athletes find a healthy balance between their study and sporting commitments, thus enabling them to achieve excellence in both fields.

For Ms Bexis, the value of receiving one of these scholarships cannot be understated.

“It’s great to have the feeling that I will be able to achieve both of my goals, because finding a balance between the two is the ultimate,” Ms Bexis said.

Similarly, rising basketball star Jess Foley, who is completing a Masters in Groundwater Hydrology, sees the funding as a step towards achieving her dream of playing for the Australian Opals at the Beijing Olympic Games and forging a successful career.

“My studies are equally as important to me as my basketball,” she said. “I wish to further educate myself for a rewarding and challenging career when basketball ends,” Ms Foley said.

Flinders University’s Sport Development Officer, Sue Wells, who manages the scholarships, said she was excited by the prospect of helping athletes achieve their dreams.

“What more could I want than to be able to assist driven, talented and focussed people to be the best that they possibly can?” Ms Wells said.

“It is a fabulous privilege for me, and I love watching these students grow, not only as athletes, but as people who are positive contributors to society,” she said.

A full list of recipients for the 2008 Flinders University Sport & Fitness Scholarships is available at: http://www.flindersone.edu.au/Content.aspx?p=80