Swimming stars Alexander Graham and Madeline Groves were tonight (Thursday, 1 November) named Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year at the annual Bond University Blues and Sports Awards.
The accolades cap off a stellar year for the pair, with Graham leading-off the Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning 4x200m freestyle team and setting a new PB at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo and Groves backing up her Rio Olympic butterfly silver medal with a silver and bronze in the pool at the Gold Coast Games.
It is the third time Groves has been named Bond's Sportswoman of the Year – a feat matched only by fellow three-time Bond Sportsman of the Year, Mathew Belcher, who graduated from Bond with a Master of Urban Development and Sustainability earlier this month.
The Blues and Sports Awards celebrate the sporting achievements of Bond University’s talented student athletes and clubs, with past winners including Olympic dual gold medal swimmer Melanie Wright (nee Schlanger) OAM, Olympic gold medal and world champion sailor Mathew Belcher OAM, Queensland Reds rugby player Ben Daley and Australian Ironman and Olympian Ky Hurst.
Bond University Executive Director of Sport, Garry Nucifora, said it had been a pleasure to witness so many sporting achievements by Bond athletes in 2018.
“We are blown away to have so many world-class athletes among our student body and the Blues Awards is a great way to honour their outstanding efforts and ongoing commitment to the rigors of training for competition while studying,” he said.
“I'm very proud of all of the sportsmen, sportswomen and teams who have put in significant effort in their sport and their studies throughout the last year.
"I look forward to celebrating their achievements well into the future."
2018 BOND UNIVERSITY BLUES & SPORTS AWARD WINNERS
Sportsman of the Year - Alexander Graham (swimming)
Finalists: Mathew Belcher (sailing), Elijah Winnington (swimming), Angus Blyth (rugby union)
Sportswoman of the Year - Madeline Groves (swimming)
Finalists: Laura Taylor (swimming), Rosanna Relton (equestrian), Arianna Clarke (AFL)
Coach of the Year – Sean Johnson (soccer)
Finalists: Ben Merrett (AFL), Richard Scarce (swimming)
Champion Club – Cheer
Finalists: Soccer, AFL
Team of the Year – Men’s Soccer Team
Elite Sports Scholar – Brock van Kampen (surf lifesaving)
Outstanding Service to Sport – Blake Greenway (Soccer President and Manager & 2018 Division 2 Nationals Bond Team Captain)
Best Sporting Moment – Alexander Graham and Elijah Winnington, Commonwealth Games Swimming 4 x 200m Relay Gold medal