Student athletes get the NZ Blues

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Student athletes get the NZ Blues

Fifteen Massey University sportspeople have been awarded University Sport New Zealand Blues Awards for their achievements, from a total of 50 high-performance athletes recognised nationwide.

The annual awards event was held on Friday in the ASB Lounge, North Harbour Stadium, Auckland.

Massey students also took two of three finals places in the Sportsperson of the Year award – Sara Randall (motorsports) from the Palmerston North campus and Juliette Haigh (rowing) from the Auckland campus.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Warrington says the national Blues awards are another indication that the University’s commitment to sport is paying dividends.

“We are highly delighted to see 15 of our sportspeople recognised nationally for their achievement, particularly following so close on the heels of our students taking 67 Prime Minister’s Athlete Scholarships,” Professor Warrington says.

“We have made a considerable commitment to sport, both at the Palmerston North campus and in Auckland and Wellington, enabling our students to compete at the top level and gain a tertiary qualification. It’s particularly pleasing too that many of these students have been assisted by the Academy of Sport, which offers a holistic service to support athletes both with their sport, their study, and their lives after sport. Congratulations to both the athletes who received Blues and to those who assisted them to reach their potential.”

To qualify for nomination for a New Zealand Blues award, sportspeople must have passed the national qualifying standard for their sport, with 108 sportspeople nominated for achievement during 2007.

New Zealand Blues athlete recipients from Massey are:
Cricket – Rachel Candy (Palmerston North)
Canoe/Kayak – Michael Dawson (Palmerston North), Scott Bicknell (Auckland)
Canoe Polo – Tania Perrett (Palmerston North), Olivia Spencer-Bower (Wellington)
Hockey – Stephen Graham (Palmerston North), Emily Naylor (Palmerston North), Kimberley Green (Auckland)
Inline Speed Skating – Peter Homburg (Palmerston North)
Motorsports – Sara Randall (Palmerston North)
Rowing – Juliette Haigh (Auckland)
Snow sports – Janelle Miller (Palmerston North), Ben Griffin (Palmerston North)
Yachting – Matt Coutts (Auckland), Joshua McCormack (Auckland)

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