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Bondies equal best ever Olympic medal haul in Paris

Pierre and Jean van der Westhuyzen
The van der Westhuyzen's now have the complete set after Pierre (L) claimed silver and Jean bronze in Paris to go with the gold he won in Tokyo. 

Bond is celebrating its equal largest Olympic medal haul with the seven medals claimed by our students and alumni in Paris rivalling the home haul at Sydney 2000.

The per-capita medal count has become the craze in post-Olympics reporting and Bond University can lay claim to a 100 per cent strike rate from Australia's two Sprint Canoe medals. 

It is a record shared with the van der Westhuyzen family who sent two sons to the Olympics who came home with two medals.

Bond University Actuarial Science student Pierre van der Westhuyzen clinched a silver medal at his first Olympics in a thrilling men's K4 500 metre sprint canoe final.

The Australian crew of van der Westhuyzen, Riley Fitzsimmons, Jackson Collins and Noah Havard finished second to powerhouse Germany in a photo finish with Spain third. 

"We left it out there, all the way to the line," van der Westhuyzen said post- race. 

"Can't be upset with what we put down there.

"Very, very happy with the result and going away as a good four, really happy with what the last three years of work have turned out for us."

Bond Alumni and Tokyo Olympic Gold medal winner Jean van der Westhuyzen and his partner Tom Green then claimed bronze in the K2 500m. 

If the Australians were able to repeat their semifinal time of 1 minute 26.85 seconds in the medal race, they would have taken gold.

"Winning an Olympic medal is so special, so we're stoked with that, but of course we're going to be disappointed," said 25-year-old van der Westhuyzen.

"We really thought we were capable for a gold medal, but all of the crews on the start line think they're capable of that as well.

"We would have loved to come here and get the gold again, but we'll live to fight another day — and coming back home with the dirty gold isn't too bad."

The brothers added to the tally of five medals claimed by Bond swimmers in the pool.

It was in the pool at the Sydney Olympic Centre where Bondies did the most damage with Grant Hackett (2 gold), Gian Rooney (2 silver), Daniel Kowalski (1 gold) and Chris Fydler (1 gold) combining for six medals. Kookaburra Brent Livermore (bronze) added another.

In Paris, Jenna Strauch claimed her first Olympic medal after winning silver for Australia in the 4x100m medley relay.

The Bond University alumna partnered with Kaylee McKeown, Emma McKeon and Mollie O’Callaghan to secure Australia’s final swimming medal of a record-breaking Olympic campaign.   

The Dolphins finished second on the medal tally behind the USA with seven gold, eight silver and three bronze medals.

With a combined five medals it was an incredible week for Bond University’s Hancock Prospecting Swimming Excellence Scholarship athletes in the pool at the La Defense Arena. 

Elijah Winnington and Flynn Southam also won two silver and two bronze medals.

Bachelor of Business student Winnington took home the silver medal in a gripping 400m freestyle final after turning on the jets in the final 50m, hitting the wall at 3:42.21. 

In his first Olympics Southam also claimed silver in the men’s 4 X 100m freestyle relay, after a thrilling showdown between the victorious USA and Australia. 

The pair then joined forces in the men’s 4 X 200m freestyle relay to finish with bronze behind Great Britan and the USA. They formed a team with Max Giuliani and Thomas Neil in which no swimmer was older than 24 years old. 

The triumphs didn’t end at the pool with alumna Bree Masters becoming the first Australian sprinter to qualify for the semi-finals of the 100m since Melinda Gainsford-Taylor at the Sydney Olympics 24 years ago. 

Earlier in the games Bull Shark Maddison Levi set a new Olympic record with 14 tries for the Australian 7s side that finished fourth while alumni Hayden Sargeant was a member of the men’s side that also finished fourth, the Australian Men’s best ever result at the Olympics. 

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