Graham Croker
Australian Under 20 soccer representative Olivia Kennedy and Olympic diving gold medallist Matthew Mitcham were named 2010 female and male Blues of the Year at the annual presentation of Sydney University Blues and Golds held in the Great Hall on Saturday night.
Kennedy, in her first year of a Bachelor of Nursing degree, has had a busy year on the soccer field, playing every match with Sydney University in the NSW Women’s Premier League competition. She scored nine goals from the midfield and was named Women’s Premier League Player of the Year.
The Sydney University Women’s Soccer Club also named her Player of the Year and presented her with the Outstanding Achievement Award. Her efforts also earned her a contract with the Central Coast Mariners in the W-League.
Kennedy also represented the University at the 2010 Australian University Games in Perth, where she was named in the Green and Gold team after the Sydney University women’s soccer team won the silver medal.
And to top off an outstanding year, Kennedy won the Ray Hyslop Scholarship Award and the Warrick Segal “Best Fresher” Award.
Mitcham, best remembered for his “perfect 10” gold medal dive at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, has also had a busy and successful 2010.
The Bachelor of Arts and Science student competed in four diving disciplines at competitions throughout the year, highlighted by four silver medals at the Delhi Commonwealth Games where he competed in the 1m springboard and the 10m platform and combined with Ethan Warren in the two synchronised events.
Mitcham also earned perfect 10 scores in his key dive on the 10m platform at FINA World Cup events in China, were he won gold, and Canada and Mexico where he won silver.
At the 2010 Australian Open Championships, Mitcham finished second in the 1m, 3m and 10m individual events and second in the 3m and 10m synchronised events, with Ethan Warren.
Kennedy and Mitcham were among 32 athletes award sporting Blues on the night, while four people were awarded coveted Golds, the award made to long-serving volunteer coaches, administrators or supporters. The 2010 recipients were Dr John Murray (Soccer), Adam Spencer (Soccer), John Moloney (Sydney University sport) and Kerrie Bigsworth (Rowing). The Blues and Golds were presented by Professor Ann Brewer.
In welcoming 250 awardees and guests to the dinner, the President of Sydney University Sport, Bruce Ross, said 2010 was yet another amazing year for sport at the University.
In a year of many highlights and achievements, he said the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi echoed Sydney University Sport’s efforts across the board.
“We had 12 athletes in eight different sports at the Commonwealth Games, highlighting the diversity of our programs,” he said.
“In rugby union, we won a sixth consecutive premiership in the Sydney Grade competition, along with a seventh consecutive club championship and a sixth consecutive Colts club championship.
“The Australian Football Club’s top three teams made it to the grand finals, with two of them winning minor premierships, while Alex Lee won Phelan Medal as best player in Sydney AFL.
“Among many achievements in rowing, we had 10 athletes on the senior national team for the World Championships, and the Boat Club won NSW club pointscore for the eighth year in row.”
Mr Ross said Boxing Club members won two NSW titles, and the Sydney University team won 13 team gold medals out of possible 26 sports they competed in at the Australian University Games.
“There were also some notable firsts,” he said. “We won premierships in women’s rugby and women’s wheelchair basketball, we produced out first Australia A cricketer in Ed Cowan and another first class representative in Marty Pascal.
“We also produced two new Wallabies, five Australian Sevens players, an AFL draftee and two representatives in the Australian women’s Under 19 basketball side.
“And that’s just touching the surface of the efforts of our athletes and teams this year.
“Indeed, Sydney University is being increasingly recognised as one of the leading non-governmental developers of sporting talent in Australia.
“And we have achieved this status purely from our own resources – through great partnerships with our University student body, the University colleges, many and varied sponsors, our alumni, the many sporting clubs and, in particular, that wonderful army of volunteers who run them.”
Mr Ross said the hundreds of volunteer coaches, managers, administrators and supporters kept the sporting clubs viable, allowing SUS to direct its resources into employing coaches and administrators of highest quality to make clubs and individuals competitive.
“We see our role as developing talent, and to do that we provide the ideal environment for producing a continuing flow of outstanding scholar athletes,” he said. “We have no intention of resting on our achievements – our sporting story just beginning.”
Blues
Edward Alexander (Boat),
Berrick Barnes (Rugby)
Kristen Barnes (Basketball),
Tim Barton (AFL)
Samuel Carter (Rugby)
Stuart Clark (Cricket)
Amanda Cox (Water Polo)
Nicholas Davies (Fencing)
Edward De Carvalho (Boat)
David Dennis (Rugby)
Kieran Dorney (American Football)
Tom Elkington (AFL)
Kim Griffin (Soccer)
Tim Halliday (Swimming)
Monika Holmwood (Soccer)
Jaimee Kennedy (Basketball)
Olivia Kennedy (Soccer)
Elena Kwok (Badminton)
Toby Ledgerwood (Boat)
Adam McConnochie (AFL)
David McDuling (Rugby)
Benita Milenkiewcz (Tennis)
Matthew Mitcham (Diving)
Derek Mulhearn (Athletics)
Scott Nicholson (Water Polo)
William Ryan (Sailing)
Tom Sacre (Boat)
Margarit Sokolovskai (Fencing)
Raymond Tam (Badminton)
Jacob Taylor (Rugby)
David Thode (American Football)
Krystal Weir (Sailing)
Golds
Kerrie Bigsworth (Rowing)
Dr John Murray (Soccer)
John Moloney (Sydney University Sport)
Adam Spencer (Soccer)
If you wish to view any of the photos taken on Saturday night please click here
