UQ athletes take centre stage at UQ Blues Awards

Published Tue 06 Nov 2018

University of Queensland Media Release

Fourteen student-athletes have received a University Blue – The University of Queensland’s highest sporting honour – at the 2018 UQ Blues Awards Dinner. Since 1912, Blues have been awarded for exceptional results at national or international level. Half Blues are bestowed for outstanding achievements at state and underage events, as well as UniSport-sanctioned competitions.

A total of 33 UQ students received awards at the gala event, with 19 Half Blues presented.

Sporting achievements were considered over a 12-month period from October 2017 to September 2018, with judging undertaken by an independent Blues Advisory Committee.

UQ Sport chief executive Bryan Pryde said awardees represented 23 sports.

“In the event’s 106-year history, this is the first time Half Blues have been awarded to athletes competing in Canoe Polo (Alana Pacholke) and Trampoline Gymnastics (Carina Hagarty),” Mr Pryde said.

“Remy Leonard is just the second UQ student to win a Half Blue for Archery, while Nicholas Calvert and Jessica Osbourne are the first Squash players to be honoured with Half Blues since 1994.”

Almost half of the awardees are UQ Sporting Scholarship holders, 21 are female and 12 male.

My Pryde said eight Blues winners had previously received Half Blues.

“It’s pleasing to see so many students elevated to claim this prestigious honour, which is one of the highest accolades a student athlete can receive.”

“This year’s Blues recipients join an illustrious group of UQ sporting greats, including David Theile, Nathan Sharpe, Emilee Cherry, and Gabi Simpson.”

Long-time UQ Blues MC Gerry Collins hosted the 180-capacity event at Customs House, with former Wallaby captain Stephen Moore the evening’s guest speaker.

Moore, a UQ Bachelor of Science graduate, received a Blue for Rugby Union in 2005, as well as UQ’s Sportsman of the Year Award in 2007.

2018 UQ Blue recipients:

Abby Andrews

Water Polo

Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (Honours)

Abby made her debut for the Australian Stingers Women’s Water Polo team in January against Italy, and was subsequently picked for Australia’s series against the USA in April. Abby also captained the Australian Youth Team that competed at the 2018 World Youth Water Polo Championships in Belgrade, finishing 4th.

Gabriella Palm

Water Polo

Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)

Gabriella is the current goalkeeper of the Australian Stingers Open Women’s Water Polo team. In 2018, she competed at the FINA Water Polo World Cup, in which the Stingers finished the tournament in third place. At the FINA Intercontinental Tournament, Australia had another strong showing, finishing runners-up.

Douglas Buckley

Hockey

Bachelor of Journalism

A previous Half Blue recipient, Douglas captained UQ at 2018 UniSport Nationals Div 1, securing a 4-0 win over The University of Adelaide to secure a gold medal and the coveted Syme Cup. He also represented Queensland at the 2018 Under 21 Australian Championships, and was part of the premiership-winning Capital Cobras side in the New Zealand National Hockey League. Douglas was also a member of the gold-medal winning Queensland Blades in the 2018 Australian Hockey League.

Oliver Crane

Hockey

Bachelor of Business Management

A 2015 Half Blue awardee, Oliver spent a portion of 2018 playing for Royal Daring in Belgium’s Audi Premier League. He was also a squad member of Australia’s Under 21 team, and well as the Queensland Blades in the Australian Hockey League.

Ryan Dowse

Indoor Cricket

Bachelors of Engineering / Business Management

A 2017 Half Blue awardee, Ryan represented Australia at Senior Open level for the first time, competing at the 2018 Australasian Cup tournament in Sri Lanka, which Australia were eventual winners. He also represented Queensland at the National Championships, as was selected in the Australian Open Men’s team.

Megumi Hamashima

Judo

ICTE – General English (English as a Second Language)

A 2017 Half Blue recipient, Megumi scored a silver medal at the 2018 ACT International Open Championships, bronze at the Queensland International Open Championships, and gold at UniSport Nationals Div 1 in the Under 57kg category. She also took out the 2018 Australian National Championship title (Under 57kg), defeating Beijing Olympian Kristie-Ann Ryder in the gold medal match.

Blaine Heseltine

Rowing

Bachelor of Engineering

A 2014 Half Blue holder, Blaine won the Lightweight Men’s Double Scull and Lightweight Men’s Quad Scull events, and finished second in the Lightweight Men’s Four at the 2018 Sydney International Regatta. He won a further five silver medals at the Queensland State Championship Regatta, and gained selection in the Australian team that competed at Rowing World Cup events in Austria and Switzerland.

Tara Hinchliffe

Netball

Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)

Tara was a starting member of the Queensland Firebirds team that finished as semi-finalists in this year’s Suncorp Super Netball competition. She also made her national debut for Australia at the 2018 Fast 5 Netball World Series, competing against New Zealand, England, Jamaica, Malawi, and South Africa.

Julius Lim

Powerlifting

Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours)

Julius has had a breakout Powerlifting season in 2018. Representing UQ at the World University Powerlifting Cup in the Czech Republic, he won the overall gold medal in the Men’s 59kg category, lifting a total weight of 475kg across Squat, Bench, and Deadlift disciplines.

Eloise Parker

Rowing

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

A Half Blue in 2014, Eloise took three gold medals at the 2018 Queensland State Championships in the Women’s Double, Women’s Four, and Women’s Eight events. She also won five medals at the 2018 Sydney International Rowing Regatta. Eloise was subsequently selected for Australia’s Under 23 team that competed at both the World Rowing Cup in Switzerland, and World Rowing Championships in Poland.

Lakeisha Patterson

Swimming

Bachelor of Architectural Design

Lakeisha – a six-time Paralympic medallist – had a stellar 2018, winning 14 gold, four silver, and three bronze medals at international Para events. At the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, she won gold in both the 50m Freestyle S8, and the 100m Freestyle S9 – an event where she swam up a classification and broke a world record. During the 12-month Blues Awards period, Lakeisha set five world records.

Ellen Pozzi

Rowing

Bachelor of Health, Sport and Physical Education (Honours)

A 2014 Half Blue awardee, Ellen performed strongly at the 2018 Queensland State Championships, securing gold medals in the Double Scull and Quad Scull events. At the Sydney International Rowing Regatta, she won gold in the Women’s Pair, silver in the Women’s Four, and bronze medals in the Women’s Pair and Women’s Eight. Ellen was also selected to compete for Australia at the World Rowing Cup and World Rowing Championships.

Kate Rowan

Rowing

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

A 2016 Half Blue recipient, Kate had a successful 2018 UniSport Nationals Div 1 campaign, winning the Women Single, and coming third in the Women’s Eight. She also won three gold medals at the Queensland State Championships, as well as gold, silver, and bronze medals at the Sydney International Rowing Regatta. Kate was a member of Australia’s Under 23 team in 2018.

2018 UQ Half Blue recipients:

Casey Atkins

Triathlon

Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology

Portia Bennett

Rowing

Bachelor of Advanced Finance & Economics (Honours)

Nicholas Calvert

Squash

Bachelor of Mathematics

Tegan Carpenter

Outrigger Canoeing

Bachelor of Science

Jack Clayton

Cricket

Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Sciences (Honours)

Callum Davies

Athletics

Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Sciences (Honours)

Ben Gibson

Athletics

Bachelor of Sport Health and Physical Education (Honours)

Natalie Grider

Australian Football

Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Sciences

Carina Hagarty

Trampoline Gymnastics

Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Sciences (Honours)

Morgan Hodgson

Rowing

Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)

Tiffany Ko

Tae Kwon Do

Bachelor of Arts

Wan Ching Ko

Table Tennis

Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours)

Remy Leonard

Archery

Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences

Alexandra Martin-Wallace

Cycling

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

Thomas Needham

Sailing

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Commerce

Jessica Osborne

Squash

Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences

Alana Pacholke

Canoe Polo

Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Sciences

Cristina Sheehan

Synchronised Swimming

Bachelor of Advance Science (Honours)