Ultra-runner to speak at NZ Universities Blues

December 3, 2012

Ultra-runner to speak at NZ Universities Blues

Lisa Tamati will speak about her experiences running in some of the harshest climates on earth at this week’s New Zealand Universities Blues Awards ceremony.

The awards on December 6 are sponsored by ASB Bank and will be hosted by Massey University at its Wellington campus.

Students from six universities will be presented Blues at the event.

Having run more than 60,000km to date, Ms Tamati has traversed on foot almost every major desert in the world, run the 2250km length of New Zealand in 38 days (averaging over 50km a day), and is among the top female ultra-athletes in the world.

She will talk about her experiences running in places such as Death Valley in the United States and in the Himalayas, all while overcoming asthma and a broken back.

At the awards ceremony, Blues will be awarded to 67 student-athletes. Blues recipients must be high achievers both academically and in their sport. As well as achieving international representation at the highest level, they must also pass at least one third of a full time course in the year of the award.

As well as the Blues presentation, a number of major awards will also be presented.

Nominees for sportsperson of the year include Massey University’s Lisa Carrington (kayak), Hamish Bond (rowing), Storm Uru (rowing) and Glenn Snyders (swimming), and Waikato University’s Nathan Cohen (rowing), Laura Langman (netball) and Duncan Grant (rowing).

Nominees for Māori sportsperson of the year are Lisa Carrington, Storm Uru and Kayla Sharland (hockey) all of Massey University.

Other major prizes include awards for distinguished and outstanding performances at the 2011 International University Sports Federation Summer Universiade.

Book tickets and see a full list of recipients and major award nominees here: http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/student-life/sport/national-blues-awards/national-blues-awards_home.cfm

ENDS

© Scoop Media