Lakeisha Patterson

“I really value my education and, with UQ’s support, I have been able to manage being a student-athlete and set myself up for future success.”

Gold medallist, world record holder and architectural design student Lakeisha Patterson was recently named UQ’s Sportswoman of the Year for her excellence in swimming and contribution to university life.

Patterson began swimming as a therapeutic effort to ease symptoms of her cerebral palsy diagnosis, but quickly found she held a passion for the sport that surpassed medical need.

At just 15, Patterson won Bronze in the S8 100m freestyle at the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow. She went onto swim at the 2015 World Championships, where she won silver in the 50m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay, and bronze in the 100m freestyle and 400m freestyle. Along with her teammates, she won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay.

Patterson also competed at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games; her 400m freestyle performance secured Australia its first gold medal of the Games while also setting a new world record. She also won gold with her team in the 4x100m relay and took home 3 silvers in the 50m and 100m freestyle.

In 2018, she won two Commonwealth Games medals and broke 4 records.

Patterson is also a recipient of a UQ Sporting Scholarship and the 2018 winner of UniSport Australia’s Most Outstanding Performance by an Athlete with a Disability Award.

 

Awards

UQ Sport Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year
2019

Qualifications

Bachelor of Architectural Design student