She’s an Ironwoman, the Australian surf lifesaving skipper, a multiple world champion and world record holder and is also emerging as a multi-sport threat after donning the green and gold in a kayak.
Our latest ADCO Sports Excellence Scholarship recipient Jasmine Rayward is truly a watersport prodigy.
The 18-year-old will join Bond University in 2025 to study a Bachelor of Commerce and embrace training surrounded by some of Australia’s best athletes.
“I’m so grateful to receive this scholarship from ADCO and I’m really excited to start at Bond to meet new people and see how it goes,” she said.
Rayward has represented Australia eight times across surf lifesaving, kayaking, ocean ski and open water swimming and in 2023 was awarded a Sport Australia Hall of Fame scholarship to join the AIS sprint canoe program.
Like many young Aussies, the Gold Coaster joined nippers as a happy go lucky six-year-old to learn surf skills.
Now, under the guidance of coach Michael King from Burleigh Surf Club, Rayward has qualified for her second Shaw and Partners Iron Series.
Her debut season included silver in round four held at Sydney’s Maroubra beach.
She finished 9th overall, a result that requalified her for the upcoming series which begins on the 14th of December.
“My goal for this year’s Iron Series is to make the Top 5,” she said.
“Surf is sometimes really unpredictable, so I’ve just got to put my best foot forward and hope that I have the speed and skills to back me up.”
The Benowa State High School graduate recently captained the Youth Australian Surf lifesaving Team at the World Surf Lifesaving Championships on the Gold Coast in September.
“Being named captain of the team has probably been my biggest achievement to date, especially after being the youngest on the team in 2022,” she said.
Winning every individual race in which she competed, Rayward, with her sister, Bianca, Piper Asquith, and Jemma Holt also took home the World Record in the 4X50m obstacle relay.
“To qualify for the team with my sister was such a great experience,” she said.
“All three of my siblings are involved in surf lifesaving, there’s a lot of competition between us, but it’s lots of fun.”
While surf lifesaving remains an enormous part of Rayward’s life, kayaking is finding its own significant place.
She says tri-weekly sessions on Lake Orr during the Covid period helped cement her enthusiasm.
“I’ve been kayaking for around four years having started in 2020 with my dad. I did it mainly to make my surf lifesaving stronger,” she said.
“I would love to make the LA28 Olympics, but I don’t want to decide between surf and kayaking too early. I just want to see how I go over the next few years.
“I finished 3rd in the K1X1000m at the Junior World Championships in 2023, so that was a big confidence boost.”