ICMS Student Goes for Gold at Australian University Games

Icms Property Student Tom Bennett Will Surf Again In The Australian University Games This Month Having Won The Longboard Division Twice Over The Past Two Years

International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) student Tom Bennett is going for gold again at the Australian University Games (AUG) taking place this month on the Gold Coast, Queensland.

Bennett, a Bachelor of Property (Development, Investment and Valuation) student, will compete in the open longboard division of the competition and is a favourite to win, having won gold in this event over the past two years.

This year’s Australian University Games takes place between 24 and 29 September. Last year, over 5600 student-athletes from across Australia took part in the six day, multisport event with a total of 34 sports on offer. This is Bennett’s third year competing in the open longboard division.

“I won gold in both the 2015 Port Macquarie and 2016 Sunshine Coast Uni Games. These were special achievements for me, as I understand that I was the first student from ICMS to win a gold medal in the competition,” Bennett said.

Avid surfer Bennett, who took up the sport when he was just five years old, squeezes in a session in the waves as often as possible.

“I try to get in the water any chance I have in between my work and uni schedule,” Bennett said. “This usually means I surf most days of the week for at least an hour depending on the conditions. Surfing keeps me sane in my everyday life and I don’t think I would be where I am today if I didn’t have the escape it provides me.“

Bennett is the son of Greg Bennett of famous surfboard brand Bennett’s Boards, and is the grandson of former Mayor of Manly Council Jean Frances Hay. The Bennett name is highly valued amongst the Surf Life Saving fraternity and many Australian and World Titles have been won on Bennett boards.

Bennett is currently studying at ICMS and is aiming to graduate next year with a Bachelor of Property (Development, Investment and Valuation) degree. He undertook his industry training at Australian Real Estate company CBRE in March 2016 and has since been employed there, part-time, in the commercial office leasing team. Bennett made the ICMS Dean’s List in 2015, and values his ICMS experience for the headstart it has given him in his chosen career.

“Studying property management at ICMS meant I was able to learn from industry professionals with long-term experience within the property world,” he said.

To students thinking of joining ICMS he said: “Do it and enjoy every minute – meet as many people as you can and participate in as much as you can.”

ICMS CEO and President Dr Dominic Szambowski said ICMS students and staff were extremely proud of Tom and his achievements in surfing at the Australian University Games.

“Sporting excellence is celebrated here, and reflects the ICMS culture of excellence in education. We support our students pursuing sport as part of a balanced work-play ethic. We wish Tom well in the competition as he strives to bring back his third gold medal.”

For more information on the Australian University Games, click here: www.australianunigames.com.au/. For more information on ICMS, click here: https://www.icms.edu.au/.