Moon, Robertson Top University Sportspeople

Melissa Moon, Scott Robertson – Top University Sportspeople

Melissa Moon and Scott Robertson jointly won the New Zealand Universities Sportsperson of the Year award hosted by the Minister of Sport at a ceremony at parliament on Saturday. Previous winners include Lesley Nicol (twice) who was again a finalist this year, Farah Palmer and Danyon Loader.

The other two finalists were James Franklin and Adine Harper.

A total of 47 sporting Blues were awarded to university students from 26 sports studying at New Zealand universities.

Melissa Moon (Massey - Palmerston Nth) has completed a Master of Business Studies (Hons). She is a five times NZ Cross Country Champ, (first women to win 5 times), as well as current NZ Marathon Champion. She finished 1st in the International Kuala Lumpur Stair Race in record time in May 2000. She was a key member of the NZ team that came 1st in the World Mountain Running Champs in Germany, where she achieved an individual 4th place in September 2000. She was ranked 24th in the World Championships Cross Country 1999.

Scott Robertson (Lincoln) is in his 5th Year of a Bachelor of Parks & Recreation and Tourism Management. He was a member of the All Blacks in 2000 and is in the training squad for 2001. He is a member of the Canterbury Crusaders, winners of the Super 12 1998 - 2000. He was the Super 12 Player of the Year in 2000. He is a member of Canterbury NPC Team, holders of the Ranfurly Shield.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, University Sport New Zealand President, Darel Hall, acknowledged the difficult task of the Blues panel in selecting the final recipients of the top award. This is the second time in the history of the award that it has been jointly awarded.

Mr Hall thanked all recipients of Blues and the Sportspeople of the year for the joy they created as students, and other people, feel connected to other students doing well.

He noted “The link between sporting and academic excellence is really something to celebrate. That link emphasises that people can and do excel in more than one area in their life; that discipline, application and determination count in whatever a person chooses to do. That is such a simple but important idea that we need to nurture within our society.”

Sacha Haskell, Executive Director, said “These athlete students are an inspiration and deserve the recognition they have achieved. The top couple of inches really does count”.

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