On your marks! Olympians and Optus ‘Unleash’ students’ potential at Mackay West State School

The Olympic spirit was sparked in Mackay today, as Olympians Alyce Burnett and David McKeon, who were joined by Optus Vice President of Retail and Channel Sales Maurice McCarthy, inspired over 400 Mackay West State School students in Grades 2 to 6 as part of Olympics Unleashed.

Presented by Optus, the Australian Olympic Committee’s (AOC) Unleashed program takes athletes into Australian classrooms to teach students the importance of setting goals, overcoming challenges and building self-esteem through face-to-face lessons.

Visiting Mackay West State School to see the program in action, Mr McCarthy spoke of the positive impact Alyce Burnett and David McKeon’s Olympic journeys had on students.

“At Optus, we are passionate about empowering the next generation to learn, achieve their potential and enjoy a bright future, which is why we are proud to be a presenting sponsor of the Olympics Unleashed program,” Mr McCarthy said.

“It’s great to see this fantastic program in action, taking Olympic athletes like Alyce and David to visit schools across the country, sharing lessons from their journey that every student can be inspired by.

“Students from Mackay West State School were encouraged to be the best version of themselves after hearing from these Australian athletes today, whether its in the classroom, playground, sporting field or at home.

“It’s essential we nurture the dreams and passions of young Australians and that is what this program enables. By making these role models visible to students, we are contributing to inspiring the next generation and the future they see.”

AOC CEO Matt Carroll said Olympians have unique experiences of hard work, overcoming challenges and goal setting that can connect with students.

“Olympians have inspiring stories that go beyond sport,” Carroll said. “They bring to life the importance of finding a passion, setting goals and building resilience to overcome challenges.

“An Olympic journey is never a straight line – having athletes like Alyce and David sharing their stories, including the challenges and how they overcame them, is a vital lesson that can help young people no matter what their passion.

“The AOC welcomes the support of Optus to this important program for Australian youth. They join State Governments, Olympians and athletes aspiring for Tokyo 2020 to use the spirit of the Olympics to engage and inspire students around the country.”

Olympics Unleashed is free for schools. The program is run by the Australian Olympic Committee and made possible by the support of Optus as presenting partner and State Governments. More information can be found at www.olympicsunleashed.com.au.

Left to right: Australian Olympic Committee Olympians David McKean and Alyce Burnett, Optus Vice President Retail and Channel Sales Maurice Mccarthy and students from Mackay West State School

Media enquiries:
Kaylah Bulow
media@optus.com.au
(02) 8082 7850

Dominic Sullivan
Dominic.sullivan@olympics.com.au
0421 423 582