University of Auckland wins UniGames 2012

Media Release – 13 April 2012 – For Immediate Use

University of Auckland wins UniGames 2012

The University of Auckland will take home the University Games Shield as winners of the 2012 UniGames, held in Wellington.

Students from around the country competed in eleven sports this week. Wet weather hindered some sports, but competitive students were generally able to play through the rain.

“We’ve played through the freezing rain, but it’s meant the Auckland teams have really come together. We’re all very proud of each other,” said Arena Williams, President of the Auckland University Students’ Association.

Highlights include the gold medals for the men’s and women’s football teams, with the women’s team remaining undefeated throughout the tournament. In the lawn bowls, the top Auckland team faced strong competition from Otago but also remain undefeated.

In the cricket, Aucklander Shameera Wijesooriya scored centuries in two games. The top women’s badminton won all of their matches, apart from two played against the top seeded men’s team.

The student athletes were supported by their students’ associations. Low turn out from some campuses reflects the impact of Voluntary Student Membership on associations, which were not able to subsidise student players.

“It’s a shame that some top University sports people couldn’t be at the tournament because they can’t afford to get here,” said Arena Williams. “It’s important that the teams are organised by students, for students, because it brings something special to the tournament. But we need to make sure that our best student athletes can play.”

Students descended on Wellington’s Courtenay Pl, but were very well behaved compared to previous years. Ten lawn bowlers got stuck in a tiny elevator, almost missing their semi-finals, and several Aucklanders swam in the Wellington harbour at midnight in a particularly zealous team bonding exercise.
ENDS

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