Melbourne University Sport -

Student-athletes rub shoulders with Olympic greats
By Rod Warnecke
8 April 2008

Blues 2008 Panel
Panellists (LtoR): Gold medalists Ralph Doubell (Athletics, Mexico City 1968), Peter Antonie (Rowing, Barcelona 1992) and Nick Green (Rowing, Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996). Current Law/Media and Communications student Kim Crow and alumnus Amber Parkinson, who have both been nominated to compete at their first Olympics in Beijing in rowing and fencing respectively.

The Melbourne University Sports Association’s annual dinner and sports awards were held at Telstra Dome last Thursday 3 April. The evening included the awarding of Blues for inter-university representation, emotive and inspirational audio-visual presentations, the announcement of the Lazer-Law medalist for 2008 and was capped off with a lively panel discussion by some of the University’s Olympic alumni.

The annual event began with the presentation of 86 Blues to student-athletes for outstanding representation at inter-university sporting competitions. This was the 104th year of awarding Blues, with the tradition mirroring that of a sporting Blue being awarded for competition between Oxford and Cambridge dating back to a boat race between the two universities in 1836.

Not surprisingly, the University’s rowing team provided the most Blues with 16. Its squad comprised 2007 Senior and U/23 World Championship rowers Alice McNamara, Kim Crow, Lisa Szatsznajder and Tom Larkins. Netball provided eight Blues including national league players Elissa Macleod and Samantha Holt; while five cyclists including Australian Institute of Sport squad rider Stephanie McGrath received Blues.

Hockey team captain and 2008 Rhodes Scholar John Feddersen was awarded his fourth Blue and captain of the Box Hill Hawks VFL team Alistair Neville received his second Blue. Melbourne University Blues Football coach and former Cricket Club coach John Kanis was also awarded the Distinguished Service Award for his services to club and university sport. John has coached Team Melbourne’s Australian rules team at the last nine Australian University Games, winning five national championships. He also coached the Blues to the VAFA A-grade premiership in 2004.

Following the presentation of the Blues, master of ceremonies and sporting commentator and journalist Tim Lane welcomed the 180 guests to the Sports Association dinner. Telstra Dome’s Medallion Club provided the setting for the second successive year. Melbourne University Sports Association President Marcus King officially opened the dinner, welcoming special guests including Lord Mayor John So who was accompanied his daughter and new volleyball Blue, Eva. Dean of Education Professor Field Rickards followed and spoke on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis who was unable to attend.

A number of the University’s elite student-athletes were also honoured with awards presented by alumni Nick Green – President of the Victorian Olympic Council and two-time Olympic rowing gold medalist with the Oarsome Foursome. Australian University Games multi-gold medalist and World Cup rowing gold medalist Kim Crow was awarded the Female Athlete of the Year; while Daniel Braunsteins was named Male Athlete of the Year for his two University Games cycling gold medals and fourth placing at the 2007 U/23 mountain bike World Cup in Italy. The University Sport Team of the Year was a tie between cycling and women’s netball. Cycling won their sixth consecutive national championship, while netball won each of their games by an average of 47 goals on their way to being crowned Australian University Champions.

Mrs. Qi Shen was named Coach of the Year for leading the women’s University Blues team to the national championship in the Australian Volleyball League. The University Blues represent Victoria in the national competition with the team license co-owned by the Melbourne University Renegades Volleyball Club and the Monash University Volleyball Club. The Renegades Volleyball Club were also named Club of the Year for their on-court success at the national and state level, for their strong administration as well as junior and international club development.

“Winning the AVL title last year was great for volleyball in Victoria and at the University. And we’ve just returned from an exciting men’s tour of China which we spent most of last year planning. These awards tonight really cap off a wonderful 2008 for the Club”, said Vice-President Rosemary Bissett after collecting the awards.

Rosemary also collected $1,000 that goes with the Club of the Year trophy. The money was presented by way of a large novelty cheque from Christine Brown of the Melbourne University Credit Union who have been long-time supporters of club sport at the University.

The final award presented for the evening was for the 2007 Lazer-Law Medal. The medal, first struck in 2002 by Sports Association Honorary Treasurer Alf Lazer and its Patron Dr. Phillip Law, recognizes outstanding sporting achievement and contribution to the University. Alice McNamara was awarded the Lazer-Law Medal for her gold medal in the Quad Scull at the 2007 World Rowing Championship and for her numerous medals won for Club and University during the year. Alice had also previously been awarded Australian University Sport’s Most Outstanding Sporting Achievement for her 2008 world championship.

The evening culminated with a panel discussion involving three of the University’s Olympic alumni – gold medalists Ralph Doubell (Athletics, Mexico City 1968), Peter Antonie (Rowing, Barcelona 1992) and Nick Green (Rowing, Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996). Current Law/Media and Communications student Kim Crow and alumnus Amber Parkinson, who have both been nominated to compete at their first Olympics in Beijing in rowing and fencing respectively, also sat on the panel. MC Tim Lane quizzed the gold medalists on their feelings at the time of wining the ultimate sporting prize, while asking the Olympic debutantes of their expectations on the world’s largest sporting stage. A common theme from the responses highlighted the many sacrifices required to make it on to an Olympic Games team, and the huge amount of support required from family friends (and one’s University) to become an Olympian.

The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games begin on Friday 8 August and conclude on Sunday 16 August. In addition to Kim Crow and Amber Parkinson representing Australia (and the University) at these Games, the following students, alumni and club members have been selected or are continuing to work towards selection for the Games: student Victoria Brown (water polo), alumnus David Crawshay (rowing), student Angela Darby (modern pentathlon), club member Sarah Heard (rowing), club member Lizzie Patrick (rowing), alumnus Seamus Robinson (fencing), club member Catriona Sens (rowing), alumnus Phoebe Stanley (rowing) and student Sarah Tate (rowing).


Home Membership Facilities Group Fitness Health Services Clubs Sport and Recreation Ski Lodge About Us Contact Us News Archive Merchandise	Student-athletes rub shoulders with Olympic greats By Rod Warnecke 8 April 2008 Panellists (LtoR): Gold medalists Ralph Doubell (Athletics, Mexico City 1968), Peter Antonie (Rowing, Barcelona 1992) and Nick Green (Rowing, Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996). Current Law/Media and Communications student Kim Crow and alumnus Amber Parkinson, who have both been nominated to compete at their first Olympics in Beijing in rowing and fencing respectively. The Melbourne University Sports Association’s annual dinner and sports awards were held at Telstra Dome last Thursday 3 April. The evening included the awarding of Blues for inter-university representation, emotive and inspirational audio-visual presentations, the announcement of the Lazer-Law medalist for 2008 and was capped off with a lively panel discussion by some of the University’s Olympic alumni. The annual event began with the presentation of 86 Blues to student-athletes for outstanding representation at inter-university sporting competitions. This was the 104th year of awarding Blues, with the tradition mirroring that of a sporting Blue being awarded for competition between Oxford and Cambridge dating back to a boat race between the two universities in 1836. Not surprisingly, the University’s rowing team provided the most Blues with 16. Its squad comprised 2007 Senior and U/23 World Championship rowers Alice McNamara, Kim Crow, Lisa Szatsznajder and Tom Larkins. Netball provided eight Blues including national league players Elissa Macleod and Samantha Holt; while five cyclists including Australian Institute of Sport squad rider Stephanie McGrath received Blues. Hockey team captain and 2008 Rhodes Scholar John Feddersen was awarded his fourth Blue and captain of the Box Hill Hawks VFL team Alistair Neville received his second Blue. Melbourne University Blues Football coach and former Cricket Club coach John Kanis was also awarded the Distinguished Service Award for his services to club and university sport. John has coached Team Melbourne’s Australian rules team at the last nine Australian University Games, winning five national championships. He also coached the Blues to the VAFA A-grade premiership in 2004. Following the presentation of the Blues, master of ceremonies and sporting commentator and journalist Tim Lane welcomed the 180 guests to the Sports Association dinner. Telstra Dome’s Medallion Club provided the setting for the second successive year. Melbourne University Sports Association President Marcus King officially opened the dinner, welcoming special guests including Lord Mayor John So who was accompanied his daughter and new volleyball Blue, Eva. Dean of Education Professor Field Rickards followed and spoke on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis who was unable to attend. A number of the University’s elite student-athletes were also honoured with awards presented by alumni Nick Green – President of the Victorian Olympic Council and two-time Olympic rowing gold medalist with the Oarsome Foursome. Australian University Games multi-gold medalist and World Cup rowing gold medalist Kim Crow was awarded the Female Athlete of the Year; while Daniel Braunsteins was named Male Athlete of the Year for his two University Games cycling gold medals and fourth placing at the 2007 U/23 mountain bike World Cup in Italy. The University Sport Team of the Year was a tie between cycling and women’s netball. Cycling won their sixth consecutive national championship, while netball won each of their games by an average of 47 goals on their way to being crowned Australian University Champions. Mrs. Qi Shen was named Coach of the Year for leading the women’s University Blues team to the national championship in the Australian Volleyball League. The University Blues represent Victoria in the national competition with the team license co-owned by the Melbourne University Renegades Volleyball Club and the Monash University Volleyball Club. The Renegades Volleyball Club were also named Club of the Year for their on-court success at the national and state level, for their strong administration as well as junior and international club development. “Winning the AVL title last year was great for volleyball in Victoria and at the University. And we’ve just returned from an exciting men’s tour of China which we spent most of last year planning. These awards tonight really cap off a wonderful 2008 for the Club”, said Vice-President Rosemary Bissett after collecting the awards. Rosemary also collected $1,000 that goes with the Club of the Year trophy. The money was presented by way of a large novelty cheque from Christine Brown of the Melbourne University Credit Union who have been long-time supporters of club sport at the University. The final award presented for the evening was for the 2007 Lazer-Law Medal. The medal, first struck in 2002 by Sports Association Honorary Treasurer Alf Lazer and its Patron Dr. Phillip Law, recognizes outstanding sporting achievement and contribution to the University. Alice McNamara was awarded the Lazer-Law Medal for her gold medal in the Quad Scull at the 2007 World Rowing Championship and for her numerous medals won for Club and University during the year. Alice had also previously been awarded Australian University Sport’s Most Outstanding Sporting Achievement for her 2008 world championship. The evening culminated with a panel discussion involving three of the University’s Olympic alumni – gold medalists Ralph Doubell (Athletics, Mexico City 1968), Peter Antonie (Rowing, Barcelona 1992) and Nick Green (Rowing, Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996). Current Law/Media and Communications student Kim Crow and alumnus Amber Parkinson, who have both been nominated to compete at their first Olympics in Beijing in rowing and fencing respectively, also sat on the panel. MC Tim Lane quizzed the gold medalists on their feelings at the time of wining the ultimate sporting prize, while asking the Olympic debutantes of their expectations on the world’s largest sporting stage. A common theme from the responses highlighted the many sacrifices required to make it on to an Olympic Games team, and the huge amount of support required from family friends (and one’s University) to become an Olympian. The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games begin on Friday 8 August and conclude on Sunday 16 August. In addition to Kim Crow and Amber Parkinson representing Australia (and the University) at these Games, the following students, alumni and club members have been selected or are continuing to work towards selection for the Games: student Victoria Brown (water polo), alumnus David Crawshay (rowing), student Angela Darby (modern pentathlon), club member Sarah Heard (rowing), club member Lizzie Patrick (rowing), alumnus Seamus Robinson (fencing), club member Catriona Sens (rowing), alumnus Phoebe Stanley (rowing) and student Sarah Tate (rowing).