Luke Mathews
Middle-distance runner Luke Mathews has a bright future ahead of him. The Melburnian had a breakout year in 2018, which began at the Australian Championships where he claimed first place in the Men’s 800m event.
Luke followed up his performance at the Australian Championships to make the final of the 800m event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. After qualifying second in his heat, Luke produced a seasonal best time in the final of 1:45:60 to come in third.
It was a sensational race: as he approached the home straight, Luke was in sixth place before surging past three competitors to claim the bronze medal. Luke also made the final of the 1500m at the Commonwealth Games, finishing in twelfth place.
Following on from his impressive national performances, Luke was named as the Male 2018 Deakin Sportsperson of the Year and was also awarded a Full Blue Sports Award in Athletics, an award Deakin gives to students when they represent Australia in sport.
Despite his training and travelling schedule, Luke shows no sign of slowing down. He is currently studying a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws double degree and is also a member of the Elite Athlete Program. Deakin’s Elite Athlete program offers support and assistance to professional athletes during their university studies.