22 February; Liam Petterson
Two University of Melbourne students will represent Australia at the 2019 Winter Universiade in Russia, the University equivalent of the Winter Olympics.
Speed skater Joshua Kah and freestyle skier Robbie Morrison will compete in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia from 2 – 12 March 2019 and will both be aiming to emulate family members.
The son of three-time speed skating Olympian Danny Kah, Joshua Kah has been skating since the age of 4. In Siberia, he will be hoping to match his father’s gold and silver medals at the 1985 Winter Universiade in Italy.
“My parents met in an ice rink in Adelaide, and both took up speed skating as a sport and were quite successful. Dad competed in three Olympics, and my mum represented Australia at numerous World Championships and international events. My dad was also the first Australian to win a medal at the Winter Universiade in 1985.
“Of course, it wasn’t long before my brother and I were strapped into a pair of skates and led onto the ice, but we only started enjoying it as a sport and began training when we hit high school in 2012. Since then it’s been my main sport and I have attended 5 – 7 training sessions per week.”
Like many student-athletes, Kah finds it challenging to balance an elite training regime with his Bachelor of Science classes.
He finds that competing with his brother Skyler, who will join him on the Uniroos team in Russia, pushes him to constantly improve.
“My motivation to train and compete actually stems a lot from racing against my brother since we were kids. We’ve always been incredibly close in competitions and never given each other a break during training,” said the 18-year-old.
“Ultimately my goal is to compete at the Olympics and win a medal, as is almost every athlete’s dream, but I don’t put the pressure on myself to be the best in the world.
My expectation is rather that I’ll be the best I can be, and wherever that lands me - World Champion or not - I can’t be disappointed.”
Like Kah, freestyle skier and Bachelor of Agriculture student Robbie Morrison comes from sporting pedigree, his sister Jessica having won a gold medal at the 2011 World University Games while also completing a Master of Business Administration at the University.
Morrison has been juggling his studies with months of European training having switched to freestyle skiing two years ago, though Siberia will be the most remote place he has ever been.
“I am totally driven when it comes to skiing. I have been skiing since I was 3 years old and I love every part of the outdoors; the cold, the friendships and the challenges. I am extremely competitive and like to push myself,” said the 20-year-old.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to visit and compete…and I’m keen to see how I go on the world stage representing the University of Melbourne.”
You can follow Morrison and Kah’s journeys here.
