Michelle Jenneke and Tom Young were named Female and Male Blues of the Year at the annual Blues Dinner held in the Great Hall on Saturday night.
Jenneke, a 3rd year Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics) student, was presented with the Alison Hattersley Trophy for Female Blue of the Year after a standout season on the track during which she ran the second fastest 100m hurdles by an Australian woman.
She represented Australia at the 2015 World Athletics Championships in Beijing where she reached the semi-finals in the 100m hurdles. The NSW state record holder also represented Australia at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she achieved 5th place. Michelle also won bronze at the 2015 World University Games in South Korea. The 2016 Rio Olympic Games are in her sights.
Young, who has a credit ranking in his studies for a Graduate Certificate in Commerce, was presented with the John Sykes Trophy for the Male Blue of the Year. He was a member of the Sydney University Australian National Football side that finished third in the 2015 North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) competition, their best result in the four years of the competition.
Tom had a very strong season, winning the coveted NEAFL Most Valuable Player award that is voted on by umpires and coaches throughout the season across all games and teams in the competition.
“I’m grateful and humbled to receive the Blues award,” he said. “I really enjoyed playing in the NEAFL side this season and I’m looking forward to coming back next year.”
Jenneke and Young were among 36 Blues and 10 Golds awarded on the night, with the presentations being made by David Mortimer, a Fellow of Senate and President of the Sydney University Football Club.
Guests in the Great Hall were welcomed by the President of Sydney Uni Sport and Fitness, Bruce Ross, who said women’s sport had led the way in 2015 with premierships in women’s hockey (undefeated), women’s soccer, women’s rugby, women’s Twenty20 cricket and netball, and grand final appearances in National League water polo and women’s AFL.
“Australia has fallen behind backing women’s sport, but that’s not the case at the University of Sydney,” Mr Ross said.
“We have a women’s sport initiative so we can excel in women’s sport and the individual and team efforts in 2015 show that the pioneering initiative is succeeding.
“When individuals and teams receive support and encouragement, they can achieve extraordinary things.”
In yet another highly successful year across the wide range of sports the university caters for, Mr Ross said Sydney University blitzed the field at the Australian University Games, finishing first overall with a record 15 first-place pennants.
“The Football Club (rugby) won a 12th straight Club Championship and titles in four of the seven grades, and the Athletics Club is undefeated in every senior, elite competition for the past two years. They won 15 gold medals at the State Championships, with women’s teams claiming 10.
“On an individual front, Angie Ballard won two more World Championships in wheelchair racing, breaking two world records on the way; cyclist Lauren Fitzgerald won a stage of the National Capital Tour a week after making her road cycling debut; Milly Clark qualified for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games with a third placing in the Amsterdam Marathon; and Athletic Club members Michelle Jenneke, Anniliese Rubie, Ella Nelson and Emily Brichacek competed at the World Championships.”
Mr Ross also paid tribute to the University for its continued support of sport on the campus, highlighted by the new grandstand and training facilities and reconfiguration of No.2 Oval.
Ann Mitchell once again acted as MC for the awards night and Anne Titterton introduced the Blues and Golds.
And the evening’s entertainment included a panel interview by Greg O’Mahoney with rower-sailor Sarah Cook, basketballer-rugby sevens player Chloe Dalton, and boxer Leonie Lum; and music by carillonist and organist Amy Johansen and the St Andrew’s College Choir.
Blues for 2015:
Tom Ayton (AFL)
Tristan Blach (Basketball)
Katrina Blackett (Athletics)
Marina Carrier (Modern Pentathlon)
Josh Collier Basketball)
Jack Cook Boat)
Paul Counsell (Hockey)
Genevieve Cowie (Athletics)
Liana Danaskos (Soccer)
Liam Elkington (Volleyball)
Patrick Emery (Basketball)
Nicole Fagan (Athletics)
Sharmaine Fernando (Volleyball)
Edward Fernon (Fencing)
Elizabeth Grey (Soccer)
Greta Hayes (Hockey)
David Hazard (Basketball
Joshua Hertz (Swimming)
Timothy Hewett (Basketball)
Anthony Hrysanthos (Water Polo)
Martina Hudaly (Lawn Tennis)
Emma Jeffcoat (Triathlon)
Michelle Jenneke (Athletics)
Jesse King (Swimming)
Daniel Mifsud (Soccer)
James Palmer (Lawn Tennis)
Adrian Porcu (Soccer)
Tomas Robertson (Rugby)
Emily Ryan (Athletics)
Rachael Soutar (Soccer)
Lewis Stevenson (AFL)
Jim Stewart (Rugby)
Campbell Watts (Boat)
Thomas Whitehead (Boat)
Tom Young (AFL)
Golds for 2015
Les Carrington (Cricket)
Charles Carter (Rugby)
Ben Cross (Athletics)
Karen Dalton (SUSF)
Phil Logan (Cricket)
Luke Mitchell (SUSF)
Mick O’Sullivan * (Cricket)
Ralph Panebianco * (SUSF)
Katherine Rae (Rugby)
Ian Trent (Women’s Water Polo
Posthumous awards *
