Old Collegian athletes

In February, Airleigh Frigo made her Olympic debut in the Freestyle Skiing Aerials event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. As someone who loved sport and dreamed of becoming an Olympian from a young age, turning that dream into reality required hard work, effort and persistence, as well as a grounded and realistic approach. Airleigh gave 100% to her sport while also pursuing other areas of her life with the same level of commitment and courage.

While at Clarendon, Airleigh was passionate about all things sport and health. She was also involved in the aerobics co-curricular program, balancing her school commitments alongside high-level gymnastics. Although initially focussed on another pathway, when the opportunity arose to transition into aerial skiing, Airleigh embraced it and soon earned a full scholarship into a development program.

Alongside her sporting pursuits, Airleigh completed a Bachelor of Radiation Sciences at Monash University in 2022. In the four years leading up to the 2026 Winter Olympics, she committed to pursuing her Olympic dream full time and, in 2025, she achieved bronze at the World Cup in Canada. When she received her selection letter for the Australian Olympic Team, her years of hard work and persistence culminated in the realisation of her dream.

“Clarendon instilled a growth and goal mindset within me,” said Airleigh. “I had to overcome many setbacks, injuries and difficult environments to achieve my goal. Whether it was achieving a certain test score or making the Olympic team, having a goal orientated mindset while allowing yourself to grow from your mistakes and setbacks along the way can give you a very purposeful and fulfilling life.”

Airleigh’s reflections on her Olympic campaign are a testament to her values of effort and resilience, viewing the experience as an honour and privilege regardless of her result.

“The Olympic movement is so much bigger than just any one individual,” said Airleigh. “The Olympics unites people and promotes them doing extraordinary things, as well as friendships, good sportsmanship and peace. I believe the movement is a glimpse of hope into what peace among people from different nations can look like and to be a part of that is something I will cherish forever.”

With the winter season now over, Airleigh is looking forward to taking time to rediscover her passions beyond aerial skiing. Passionate about healthcare and particularly women’s health, she is excited to return to university and hopes to pursue a profession where she can help others in need.

For students looking to pursue their own dreams, Airleigh encourages them to continue doing what they love most.

“Don’t put a limitation on your life before you even try something,” she said. “Try it, and if you fall short, grow and learn from it and try again. Without persistence and continued effort in everything I do, I would not have been able to call myself an Olympian.”

Peter Keller began playing tennis at seven years of age. Reflecting on his time at Ballarat College, Peter recalls sport as an important part of school life, setting his sights on becoming a member of the tennis team – a goal he achieved in Year 8.

During his junior playing years, Peter won several schoolboy events including the Victorian Schoolboy Championship and represented the state in the Linton Cup. He competed at national and international levels, including multiple Australian Championships (now the Australian Open), where he faced Wimbledon champions such as Rod Laver, John Newcombe and Neale Fraser.

“At the time I played in the Australian Championships, tennis was basically an amateur game and relatively few players were able to compete on a full time basis,” said Peter. “Players were looked after by clubs and sponsors while overseas and, although they played many tournaments, there was not the strain on players or depth of players there is today. Many even took public transport to events.”

Peter continued to pursue tennis for many years, competing on the Masters circuit and playing for clubs in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. In 2016, he achieved an equal world number one ranking in the men’s 70+ singles category of the International Tennis Federation.

Reflecting on the values he developed at school and throughout his playing career, Peter highlights winning with humility and losing with grace, respect for opponents and officials and remaining persistent despite setbacks. His own experience of recovering from bypass surgery saw him return to compete at the World Championships in Orlando, where he finished runner-up in the singles final.

“You should enjoy the sport, otherwise everything becomes difficult,” said Peter. “When Evonne Goologong returned home from a tennis event, her mother always asked if she had enjoyed herself. Results come second.”

Peter still plays tennis whenever possible and plans to compete in future tournaments. Locally, he has been involved in tennis administration for many years, including serving as President of both the Ballarat Lawn Tennis Club and the Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre. His lifelong commitment to the sport was influenced by the skills he developed during his time at school, including the four years he spent as a boarder.

“Being a boarder at College helped me develop self-discipline, emotional control, composure, resilience, independence and decision-making abilities,” said Peter. “Respect and sportsmanship, focus and concentration, time management and openness to feedback are also important to me.”

Leonie Richards was passionate about school life at Clarendon. She was a member of the athletics, basketball, cross country, hockey and swimming teams, served as Junior School Captain and Sloss House Captain, and participated in House plays and debating while at Clarendon Presbyterian Ladies College (CPLC).

When CPLC amalgamated with Ballarat College, rowing emerged as an interest for Leonie and her like-minded friends. However, when they requested the formation of a women’s training team, it was denied as it was considered an ‘unladylike’ pursuit. This did not deter Leonie, who continued to pursue her passion for sport and, later, her interest in rowing.

When her daughter, Brynley, took up rowing, Leonie felt she had unfinished business with the sport. After supporting her daughter through her school rowing journey and helping out in the shed, Leonie learned to row in 2013. Since then, she has competed locally, nationally and internationally in a range of boats, from sculls to eights, and has been Captain of the Footscray City Rowing Club since 2022. She trains four to five times a week on the water, one to two times in the gym, attends pilates classes and walks her dog daily.

Highlights on the water include her first race with her daughter, where they won their heat, as well as winning gold in the women’s double scull at the 2023 World Rowing Masters Regatta in South Africa.

“My life at school instilled values of resilience, persistence and always giving things a go,” said Leonie. “I was the only female in Year 12 physics and wanted to be a veterinarian. Some suggested this was a poor career choice for a female in 1976, but I felt very supported in my choice.”

After finishing school, Leonie became a veterinarian and later opened her own practice. She is now an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne, teaching Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students. Her determination to achieve her goals has been a consistent approach, not only in her pursuit of rowing but across all aspects of her life.

“My advice personally and as a university educator is that there are many ways to achieve your sporting and career goals,” said Leonie. “My own career took twists and turns. When I was told I couldn’t be promoted because I didn’t have the right qualifications, I did further study and achieved what I had been told wasn’t possible. There is always a pathway!”

For as long as he can remember, Stefan Nigro dreamed of playing soccer at the highest level. At just two years of age, he began kicking a ball, and by five, he had joined his first team. From that point on, his passion and drive to play professionally remained a constant throughout his school life.

Following his graduation in 2014, Stefan played four seasons with Melbourne Victory, two with Brisbane Roar, and two with the Central Coast Mariners. He then returned to Melbourne Victory between 2021 and 2024 and, since 2025, has played for the Preston Lions.

“As a player, I faced adversity in many ways, from missing out on state teams as an Under 14 player to being overlooked initially for selection in Melbourne Victory’s Under 23 team,” said Stefan. “My experience at Clarendon taught me that discipline and a strong work ethic are essential to succeed, not only in sport but in any passion in life. Those values helped me to achieve my goals in the end.”

Reflecting on his career so far, Stefan recalls highlights including winning the A-League Championship with Melbourne Victory in 2017/18 and the Australia Cup (formerly the FFA Cup) in 2022. Playing against Manchester United at the MCG in front of 80,000 people, representing the team he grew up supporting, Melbourne Victory, is another standout moment.

Currently, Stefan trains three nights a week with his team, the Preston Lions, for whom he played 40 games last year in the National Premier League’s Victoria competition. He also recently commenced a role as a Graduate Development Manager at Cadence Property Group in Melbourne.

Stefan encourages current students to surround themselves with supportive people and to focus on making small, incremental improvements towards their goals each day.

“A strong work ethic and discipline are values I developed at Clarendon that have stayed with me throughout my playing career and post playing professionally,” said Stefan. “If you have a strong support network, believe in yourself and strive for one percent improvement every day, over time, that will set you apart.”

Ally O’Connor began playing netball at eight years of age with her local football netball club. She progressed through interleague competition and was selected for the Victorian Under 17 team. Since then, she has represented the state at multiple levels, including in the Australian Netball League, and debuted for the Melbourne Vixens in May.

Ally moved to Clarendon as a boarder and embraced all things sport, joining the school’s netball, basketball, football and cricket teams, as well as the tennis squad. While the move brought her closer to greater sporting opportunities, there was so much she gained from her experience as a boarder.

“While I originally moved to boarding school to advance my netball, it gave me so much more,” said Ally. “I was able to be closer to Melbourne for trainings and games while living and studying alongside some incredibly supportive people. The experience taught me many valuable lessons that have allowed me to pursue this dream.”

Ally recently returned to Clarendon with her Melbourne Vixens teammates, leading a practical drills session and Q&A with Year 7 netballers. It was an inspiring opportunity for students to gain insight into the life of a professional netballer while also giving Ally the chance to reconnect with former peers and teachers and see how the school has grown since her graduation.

“It was incredibly special to come back to Clarendon,” Ally said. “Seeing some teachers I had great relationships with and older friends that now work at the school was unreal. Although there has been a lot of change, the feeling I experience of being at Clarendon has not. I was very proud to show my teammates that this is where I went to school.”

Reflecting on her journey since graduating, Ally highlights the importance of maintaining a positive mindset. In pursuing her netball career, she has faced injuries, illness, non-selection and disruptions such as the pandemic. Overcoming these challenges required a positive mindset, self-belief, resilience and effort.

“Clarendon is instrumental in empowering students to do their best,” said Ally. “Persistence and effort as a student were all about my studies and netball. However, as I’ve gotten older, these values have stuck with me through life. If you can move your mindset to see setbacks as opportunities to grow and change for the better, you can achieve anything.”

These same values are evident in Ally’s career as a registered nurse. She is also recently engaged to her fiancé, Charlie, planning their wedding and travel to Europe, while also preparing to undertake postgraduate studies in midwifery.