Rising stars share John Hall Rowing Scholarship
19 July: Matt Roseby
The John Hall Rowing Scholarship has been dually awarded to student-athletes and Melbourne University Boat Club (MUBC) members Eliza Gaffney (Juris Doctor) and Felix Oliver (Bachelor of Design).
Gaffney is in the midst of a breakout year, gaining selection to both the U/23 National Team and Senior A National Team, as well as winning gold at the 2022 Club Nationals as Stroke in the Women’s Eight. Placing 11th in the Women’s Pair at World Cup 2, again as Stroke, Gaffney displayed her clear ability to compete with rowing's best. Speaking on her outlook after Club Nationals earlier this year, Eliza shared her gratitude for what the upcoming year had to offer;
“To go out in an Eight with girls who I’ve trained for Under 23 Australian Rowing Teams with, who I’ll now be on the senior team with, and with girls from my club, it’s just a really exciting mix”.
Eliza gained selection to represent Victoria in the prestigious 2022 Queen’s Cup Women Eight and competed in the Henley Royal Regatta in the United Kingdom in early July. Gaffney will also compete in the U/23 World Championships in Italy later in July in the Women’s Four.
Speaking on what the John Hall Rowing Scholarship has allowed her to accomplish, Eliza explained how the funding has allowed her the unique ability to 'focus on studies and rowing simultaneously' while living interstate. In Eliza’s eyes, this capacity has allowed her to 'establish her international rowing career'.
Fellow recipient Felix Oliver has had a fruitful start to his year as well, winning gold at the U/21 NSW State Titles representing MUBC in the Men’s Coxed Four, while also securing selection in the Victorian team for the Noel Wilkinson Cup U/21 Men's Eight, where the crew secured bronze at the 2022 Australian Rowing Championships.
Oliver built on his momentum from the National Championships as a member of the Australian U/21 team, securing a win in the Trans-Tasman Regatta against New Zealand in Under 21’s Quad Sculls.
Felix told MU Sport "the scholarship has helped support me through all facets of life as I balance studying full-time and rowing at an elite level, especially after moving to Melbourne from Ballarat."
Oliver has his eyes on selection to the U/23 National Team in 2023; his scholarship selection will grant him the ability to continue his studies while pursuing this goal, with the aim to make the National Senior Team and National Training Centre in the following years.
From 2020, the John Hall Rowing Scholarship has supported promising Melbourne University Boat Club student-athletes to continue competition throughout their studies without limitations from financial circumstances, offering an annual scholarship of $10,000. This year, both Eliza and Felix were awarded $7500.
Richard Hall created the scholarship in memory of his father John, to support talented rowers to continue competitively rowing with MUBC whilst studying at the University of Melbourne.
To read more about the John Hall Rowing Scholarship and its history, click here