Vic students prove you can be smart and sporty

Last week 56 Victoria Students were awarded for excellence in sports at the University’s Blues Awards.

Awarded to those who have “brought credit to the institution through their sporting achievements or contribution to sport”.

Described as one of the most prestigious and long-standing accolades the University can grant (apart from your actual degree, of course), the awards have existed at Victoria since 1903.

Vice-Chancellor Grant Guilford claimed the awards give the University “the opportunity to acknowledge those students who have achieved outstanding sporting success through tremendous hard-work and dedication, while also successfully balancing the academic responsibilities of assignments, tutorials, labs and lectures”.

VUWSA President Rick Zwaan told Salient that “it was a fantastic event and a pleasure to acknowledge the immense amount of sporting talent we have at Victoria” with the 56 awards making it “one of the largest Blues awards we’ve had in a while”.

Around 30 awards were given out in 2014 and 2013 respectively.

Victoria Sportsperson of the Year

James Blackwell

Sports Administrator of the Year

Sean Durkin

Pasifika Sportsperson of the Year

Teariki Ben-Nicholas

Māori Sportsperson of the Year

Ryan Hunt and Te Wehi o Mahura Wright

Blues Awards for Sport

Swimming
Liam Albery

Netball
Portia Barcello
Cameron van Baarle

Futsal
Tai Barham
Mohsen Maddah

Rugby
Liam Doherty
Elizabeth Goulden
Joanah Ngan-Woo
Zackery Power
Sauimoana Solia

Cricket
Harry Chamberlain
Navin Patel

Fencing
Feliz Boyce
Nicola Martin
Nathaneal Walker-Hale

Canoe Slalom
Fergus Bramley
Thomas Guest

Sprint Kayaking
Tobias Booke
Max Brown

Football
Ruairi Cahill-Fleury

Rifle Shooting
Jess Fair

Underwater Hockey
Jessica Freeland
Richard Kay
Tristan O’Neale
Helen Payn

Rowing
Jack Gilpin
Kate Jordan
Johannah Kearney
Lauren McAndrew
Brook Walker
Luke Watts
Henry Whitford-Lee

Athletics
Jackson Henry
Liam Malone
Keeley O’Hagan

Flying Disc
James Holth
Luke Humphries
Jonathan Jackson
Aaron Miller
Taison Pelman
Matt Richardson
Li Hao Yeoh

Volleyball
Sophia Johnston

Basketball
Joanna Judge

Hockey
Olivia Logan
Harry Miskimmin

Debating
Daniel Wilson

Sports Administration
Oscar Battell-Wallace
Frances Gray
Kimberley Savill
Eva Weatherall