The UQ sporting community recognised last year’s outstanding contributors at the Annual Blues & Sports Awards Dinner last Friday.
The 2010 Sportsman of the Year award was won by UQ cricketer and 2010 Sheffield Shield Player of the Year, Chris Hartley.
Rhythmic gymnast Danielle Prince was named Sportswoman of the Year after her gold medal-winning performance at the Delhi Commonwealth Games in October.
The event fell just days before the 100th birthday of sport at UQ, with the occasion commemorated by a video presentation and guest speech from UQ Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Greenfield.
The annual dinner is named after its distinguishing award, the University Blue – a form of recognition of high achievement in sport, honoured at UQ since 1913.
Recipients of Blues for 2010 were Campbell Schmidt (triathlon), David Watts (hockey), James Hanson (rugby), Danielle Prince (gymnastics), Jacqui Day (hockey) and Joanna Sterling (windsurfing).
The tradition of a ‘toast to the Blues’ was entertainingly upheld by former Wallaby and dual-sport Blue recipient Jules Guerassimoff.
New Blue recipient David Watts formally responded to the toast in eloquent fashion, and in doing so joined the brigade of hockey players and alumni currently campaigning for a synthetic hockey pitch on campus.
The Uni Rebels Touch Football Club picked up the Hulbert Bursary (club of the year) after being named Club Champions of the Brisbane Touch Championships 2010 season.
The 2010 Club Volunteer of the Year award was kept in the family by Catriona Arthy of the UQ Rugby Club – sister of 2009 winner Heather Arthy.
UQ Australian Rules Football Club President Scott Young took out the Club Administrator of the Year after also being named AFL Queensland’s Volunteer of the Year for 2010.
Service Awards were won by Andrew Lossberg of the UQ Cricket Club and Bruce Brown of the UQ Rugby Club.
UQ Sport would like to congratulate all awardees and thank everyone who attended the event and helped made the evening so successful.
Media: Simon Byrne (simonb@uqs.com.au, 07 3346 7518)
