A University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka student who has excelled in basketball and athletics has won the top sports prize at the Blues and Golds Awards.
Co-ordinated by the Otago University Students’ Association in collaboration with the University, the annual awards celebrate students’ sporting, arts and cultural success from the past year.
Alexa Duff was named Sportsperson of the Year.
On the basketball court, the 19-year-old is a member of the Southern Hoiho team and represented the New Zealand women’s 3x3 team at last year’s FISU World University Games in Germany.
On the field, she is an accomplished javelin thrower who won gold at the Dame Yvette Williams Memorial Meet and Otago championships, and silver at the New Zealand Track and Field Championships.
She has won seven New Zealand championship medals since 2023 and set a new personal best throw this year.
Alexa, a Bachelor of Physiotherapy student, was also a finalist in the Junior Sportswoman of the Year category of the Otago Sports Awards.
Rower Ged Wall (Te Rarawa and Te Aupōuri) was named Māori Sportsperson of the Year, after being selected in the World University Rowing Team which competed in Canada last month.
Ged, a fourth-year medical student, also won three medals at the NZ University Rowing Championships – gold in the varsity single and silver in the varsity double and championship eight – and a gold medal at the New Zealand Rowing Championships.
Also announced tonight was Critic Editor Hanna Hogg as Outstanding Member of the University of Otago Community.
As Editor she leads New Zealand’s oldest student publication while studying full-time for degrees in Law and Management.
Other awards included the Otago Consulting Club as the Society of the Year and Otago University Japanese Students' Association as the Cultural Society of the Year.
In total, 14 awards, 14 Silver Service, 37 Blues and six Golds were presented at the ceremony, held at the Otago Business School.
OUSA president Daniel Leamy says the awards are a chance to celebrate the incredible talent, leadership, and commitment that exists across our student community.
“Every year I'm blown away by the passion our tauira bring to sport, culture, academia, and service, and these awards recognise the impact they have both on campus and beyond,” he says.
“The students recognised have truly gone above and beyond, all while balancing their studies, work, and other personal commitments. Their achievements reflect the very best of the Otago student experience, and OUSA is proud to celebrate their success.”
Winners
Sportsperson of the Year: Alexa Duff – basketball and athletics
Highly Commended: Ted Mayne – rowing
Māori Sportsperson of the Year: Ged Wall – rowing
Coach of the Year: Jamie McKenzie – rowing
Outstanding Member of the University of Otago Community: Hanna Hogg
Cultural Society of the Year: Otago University Japanese Students’ Association
Highly commended: Indian Students' Association
Special mention: Otago Iranian Society
Sports Club of the Year: Otago University Hockey Club
Highly commended: Otago University Canoe Club
Special mention: Otago Campus Badminton Club
Society of the Year: Otago Consulting Club
Highly commended: Otago Biochemistry and Genetics Student Association
Special mention: University of Otago Women in Business
Silver Service: Aliya Mottus – University Albion Netball Club, Bianca Lim – Women in Business, Cushla Bridges – Otago Biochemistry and Genetics Students' Association, Dhruv Khatri – Indian Students' Association, Dilkee Nanayakkara – Indian Students’ Association, George Fisher – Otago Consulting Club, Hannah Shahin – Otago Iranian Society, Hugh Nixon – Otago University Hockey Club, Inese Velde – Otago Dance Association, Katrina Hogg – Otago Consulting Club, Liam Young – Otago Biochemistry and Genetics Student Association, Sam Eales – Otago Dance Association, Sarah Al-Shanfari – UniQ Otago, Sylvie Kidd – Otago University Debating Society
Golds: Asya Ahmadasri – theatre and performance, Ella Court – performing arts, Ethan Jackson – debating and oration, Maddison Gay – dance and performance, Millie Cottam – music, Stella Weston – literature, writing and creative media
Blues: Abbey Heale – ice hockey, Amy Su – badminton, Anika Todd – cricket, Aya Oseki – handball, Charlie Moon – rowing, Claudia Roberts – hockey, Dani Kramers – aerobics, Daniel O’Brien – indoor hockey, Ella Rowe – weightlifting, Fred Phillips – rowing, Hannah Lithgow – rugby union, Harry Sixton – cricket, Jacob Te Rua Paora Parkinson – wrestling, Jade Stapleton – underwater hockey, Jake Owen – athletics, Jay Reihana – rugby union, Joe Parkinson – rugby union, Jorja Gibbons – athletics, Josh Laing – squash, Justin Ho – badminton, Kaylea Phillips – handball, Lyon Rodger – athletics, Manuella Sanches Pedrosa – ice hockey, Matthew Bolter – athletics, Max Louw – powerlifting, Melanie Button – triathlon and duathlon, Mia Cochrane – rugby union, Mika Muliaina – rugby union, Molly Cole – aerobics, Patrick Spillane – rowing, Sarah Hay – triathlon, Scarlett Reeves – underwater hockey, Sovaia Sabutu – netball, Steve Salelea – rugby union, Thomas Gray – squash, Tom Jones – cricket, Zoe Huang – underwater hockey.