Australian swimmers Cameron McEvoy and Emma McKeon took out the top accolades at the 2014 Griffith University Blues Awards on Thursday, October 30.
The Blues Awards celebrates the sporting achievements of Griffith students and recognises the diversity of sporting opportunities at the University.
A total of 56 awards across a range of sports were handed out during the evening in five categories: Full Blue (29 recipients), Half Blue (23), Most Outstanding Sporting Achievement Award (2), Academic Athlete of the Year and Certificate of Achievement Award.
In celebrating their achievements, Griffith Sports College Manager Mr Duncan Free said: “The University is very proud to have its students possess the capacity to set and achieve high standards both academically and sporting.”
Bachelor of Science (Advanced Honours) student Cameron McEvoy was awarded the Most Outstanding Sporting Achievement and Academic Athlete of the Year. In the past year, McEvoy won medals in various national and international swimming competitions:
- Gold in the 50m, 100m & 200m freestyle at the Australian Swimming Championships
- Gold in the 4x100m relay & 4x200m relay at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow
- Silver: Men’s 50m, 100m & 200m freestyle and 4x00m medley relay, also in Glasgow
However, McEvoy’s biggest achievement came during the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships on the Gold Coast, when he won the men’s 100m freestyle beating world champion James Magnussen and multiple Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps.
Bachelor of Public Health and Promotion student Emma McKeon shared the Most Outstanding Sporting Achievement Award with McEvoy.
In a stunning international swimming debut at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, McKeon became the leading Australian medal winner with six medals: four gold and two bronze.
The full list of Sport Blues Award recipients is available on theGriffith Sport Website.
Did you know?
The historical reference point for the Blues Awards dates back to 1829 and the first boat race between Oxford and Cambridge universities. It took place on the River Thames between Hambleden Lock and Henley Bridge, a distance of about 2.25 miles.
There were Old Etonians in both boats and, as the crews had no distinctive uniform to identify them, just before the start a Cambridge Etonian tied a light blue scarf to the little post at the bow of his boat. An Oxford Etonian responded by tying a dark blue scarf to the bow of his.