Student sports honours

Press, 22 January 1988, Page 13

Student sports honours

PA Wellington Seoul Olympics swimming hopeful, Richard Lockhart, of Auckland, was this week named the 1987 New Zealand Universities’ Sportsperson of the Year. The executive director of the New Zealand Universities’ Sports Union, Mr Roger Wood, said the New Zealand Universities’ Blues Panel had considered more than 15 top university athletes for the Haylin Trophy.

Lockhart’s contribution to swimming in New Zealand, and more particu-

larly to university sport over the last five years, had made him “the obvious choice.” He was a member of the New Zealand Universities’ team that travelled to Yugoslavia last year for the World Student Games. “Richard achieved outstanding results, recording three personal best performances and reaching the finals of both his breaststroke events in the face of world class competition,” said Mr Wood. Lockhart has been selected to represent New

Zealand at the World Student Games three times since 1983. The New Zealand Universities’ Blues Panel has also decided on nominees for the prestigious New Zealand Universities’ Blues Award. They are: badminton, Ryan Whittle (Auckland); debating, Rachel Hayward (Canterbury) and Andrew Stockley (Victoria); women’s hockey, Tina Bell (Otago) and Marie Corcoran (Otago); rowing, Andrew Skelton (Canterbury); rugby league, Tea Ropata (Auckland); swim-

ming, Darryl Follows (Waikato), Dean Foster, Richard Lockhart, Sarah Mahon, Richard Tapper, Craig Thomas and Mark Weldon (all Auckland); waterpolo, Lachie Marshall, lain Ansell and Jan Bone (all Otago), and Clare Duder (Auckland). The acceptance of nominations is subject to a check on academic success. Mr Wood said he expected this to be completed within the next two weeks, with the awards being made at the beginning of the University year in March.