Bulletin

Issue: March 2006

Commonwealth Games

Scottish Games team warms up at La Trobe

La Trobe University’s Bendigo campus served as a pre-Commonwealth Games Holding Camp for the 167-member Scottish team. The three-week camp was conducted by the University in association with the Greater Bendigo City Council.

La Trobe Director of Engagement and Enterprise, David Ensor, said the University provided ‘training facilities, competitive opportunities, accommodation, food, recreation, local information – and a friendly and welcoming environment.’

It followed the University’s success in accommodating more than a 1,000 competitors for the Youth Commonwealth Games on the campus in 2004. Some of these competitors and their families returned for the pre-Games training camp.

The camp also reflected the University’s commitment to sport, particularly as a member of the Australian Elite Athlete Friendly University Network.

‘It also helped highlight La Trobe’s emphasis on achievement and our overall support of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games as an important event for Victoria,’ Mr Ensor said.

Scottish team Sports Manager, Susie Elms, said the team had left the icy chill of winter and was ‘overwhelmed by the welcome we received and the support shown to us by the University and Bendigo community.’

Ms Elms said the team staying on the Bendigo campus comprised athletes competing in basketball, rugby 7’s, shooting, triathlon, badmin-ton, squash, hockey, bowls, weightlifting and athletics. There was also a medical team of doctors, physiotherapists and support staff.