CQUniversity construction management student Toby Lister is getting his ducks in a row so he can be on Australia's Olympic rowing team for the London Games in August.

Thanks to CQUni's membership of the Elite Athlete Friendly University Network, he's been able to defer his studies without penalty, and he's reduced his work hours to enable him to train several times each day for six days a week.

Toby Lister is focused on guiding his team

"Even though I'm the coxswain for the Men's Eight I still have to put in all the hundreds of kilometres and I have to keep fit and keep my weight down," Toby says.

As a light-weight teenager, Toby got involved as coxswain for a leading rowing school in Sydney before moving into club rowing and then the junior national team. His love of water, sailing and sea scouts certainly paid off.

Toby in action with the Aussie team

Now aged 25, he's overjoyed at his Olympic selection and hopes to do well enough to be involved again in the Games of 2016.

Toby got involved in construction through his family company. Now based at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, he's chosen to work as a contract administrator for Iqon Constructions with current projects including a mental health unit and a cancer unit for Canberra Hospital.

"I enjoy being able to mix my practical experience with the degree studies," he says.