Vice-Chancellor’s Blues Awards

Seventeen of UNSW’s most accomplished student-athletes were recognised in the Council Chambers last night at the 2025 Vice-Chancellor’s Blues Awards, one of the University’s oldest and most prestigious sporting traditions.

Dating back to 1955, the Blues have long represented the highest sporting honour a student can receive at UNSW. With only around 700 Blues awarded across the award’s 65-year history, the significance of the achievement was clear throughout the evening as athletes, families, supporters and staff came together to celebrate those who have performed at the highest level of their sport while also meeting the demands of university life.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Attila Brungs, himself a Blue in fencing, opened the evening by reflecting on the unique challenge of balancing study and elite sport. He noted that “balancing elite sport with a university degree is no small feat” and praised the way UNSW students continue to show it is possible “to do both – and to do both exceptionally well.” He also spoke about the qualities sport develops beyond competition, from resilience and discipline to the ability to work with others and respond to setbacks, reminding the room that “success is built not just on winning points, but on resilience, focus and persistence.”

The first Blue recipient welcomed to the stage was Caleb Yong from fencing. An elite foil fencer, Caleb has competed with distinction at both domestic and international level, including a sixth-place finish at the Singapore Senior National Championships in 2025, second place at the 2025 UniGames and 22nd at the Singapore Senior Foil Satellite against an international field. He has also represented Singapore at the Fukuoka and Paris World Cup events. Speaking on stage, Caleb said it was “quite surreal” to be receiving a fencing Blue in front of the Vice-Chancellor, adding that much of his success comes down to “great composure.”

Charlotte Wilson was next to the stage following a breakthrough period in mogul skiing that has quickly established her as one of Australia’s leading winter sport athletes. A member of the NSW Institute of Sport and Australian National Ski Team since 2022, Charlotte commenced at UNSW in 2023 and claimed the 2024 Australian National Championship title before taking her place on the world stage. Most recently, she represented Australia at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina, where she reached the super final and finished sixth overall in the women’s moguls in her Olympic debut. In her first FIS World Cup season across 2024 and 2025, Charlotte produced two top-five finishes and multiple top-10 results from just 10 starts, before winning gold in the Olympic Dual Moguls Test Event in Livigno. Her exceptional season was recognised with the FIS Freestyle Rookie of the Year Award, making her the first Australian to ever receive the honour, as well as the Australian Skier of the Year Award. Reflecting on her journey, Charlotte said the best part of being a mogul skier is “the experiences I get to have with my best friends travelling the world,” which includes close friend and former Blues recipient Emma Bosco.

Chloe Jackson followed after continuing her rise in rugby league. Contracted to the Parramatta Eels NRLW squad in 2023, Chloe made her NRLW debut in Round 2 of the 2024 season and has since gone on to make 19 appearances across the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Across that period, she scored three tries, made more than 260 tackles and ran for nearly 900 metres, averaging around 82 running metres per game. In 2025, she was awarded the Parramatta Eels Coaches Award and also represented Australia in the Prime Minister’s XIII against Papua New Guinea. Speaking on the night, Chloe said making her debut for “such an incredible club” was a special moment, while receiving the Coaches Award was “very unexpected.”

Sprinter Christopher Geordas then brought plenty of energy to the room. A current top-five ranked athlete nationally, Christopher has built an impressive athletics resume over the past two years, specialising in the 200 metres. In 2024, he finished seventh in the Open 200m at the Australian Open Track and Field Championships, won gold and set a championship record at UniSport UniNationals, and placed third at the NSW State Championships. In 2025, he finished fourth at the Australian Track and Field Championships and won Open 200m titles at UniSport UniNationals, the NSW State Championships and WA State Championships, while also taking silver at the ACT State Championships. He qualified for the 2025 World University Games by time and represented UNSW at major meets including the Sydney Track Classic, Perth Track Classic and Adelaide Invitational, as well as placing third in the Open 120m at the Burnie Gift. Asked why the 200m was his favourite event, Christopher had the audience laughing as he joked it was “because I’m bad at the others,” before saying he was looking forward to the athletics circuit this year.

Although James Rowbottom was unable to attend due to Sydney Swans duties against Hawthorn, his achievements were still recognised during the evening. A UNSW alumnus and one of the AFL’s premier defensive midfielders, Rowbottom has played more than 140 senior games since being drafted by the Swans in 2018. He set a club record for tackles in a season with 176 in 2023, topped the AFL with 186 tackles in 2024, finished sixth in the Bob Skilton Medal and won the Barry Round Best Clubman Award, adding to a list of honours that includes Sydney Swans Most Improved Player in 2020, third-place finishes in the club’s Best and Fairest in 2022 and 2023, a 2025 elevation to the club’s leadership group and a contract extension through to 2028.

Kaitryel Pelaez was then recognised for her achievements across basketball, academics and leadership. Currently completing a double degree in Law and Politics, Philosophy and Economics with a Distinction WAM, Kaitryel has represented UNSW in the University Basketball League across 2024 and 2025, helping the team reach the quarterfinals. She has also competed in the Basketball NSW Waratah Youth League, represented Australia at the 2024 Manila Live TC Basketball League, and built an outstanding officiating career as a Basketball NSW High Performance official, including appointment to the U20 Men’s Grand Final Medal Match at the 2024 Australian Schools National Championships and selection in the 2025–26 State Referee Development Program. She is also part of the Basketball NSW I Am A Girl Leadership Scholarship Program, was elected 2026 Treasurer of the UNSW Basketball Society and has been nominated for three UNSW Sports Awards. On stage, Kaitryel spoke about balancing her demanding study load with sport, saying that while her double degree makes for a tight schedule, she remains committed to being a high-achieving student and is hoping for success at UniSport 3x3 basketball in May.

Triathlete Logan Campbell was next, recognised for a year that included selection for the Australian Team at the U23 World Triathlon Championship Finals and World Cup appearances in Miyazaki and Tongyeong. In 2025, Logan also finished second at the Asia Cup in Kota Kinabalu, placed third at the Australian U23 Triathlon Championships and third at the Australian U23 Cross Country Championships. At university level, he won both the 2025 University Cross Country Championship and the University Sprint Triathlon Championship. Speaking about how he came into the sport, Logan said he originally came from a running background but wanted to strengthen his weaknesses, adding that he loves “chasing on the run leg rather than being chased on the swim leg.”

Lucas Velasque followed as one of the evening’s leading examples of excellence in both performance and leadership. An elite handball athlete and President of the UNSW Handball Club since 2023, Lucas has represented the club at the Australian Club Championships, New Zealand Club Championship and NSW Sydney League, while also captaining the UNSW Junior Handball Club Team across 2023 and 2024. Since 2023, he has been a member of the NSW Senior Men’s Handball Team and in 2024 captained the Australian Junior Men’s National Team at the IHF Oceania Trophy. In 2025, he led the NSW Junior Men’s Team to victory at the Junior State Nationals and also secured bronze at the Senior State Nationals. His performances earned him selection in the Australian Senior Men’s National Handball Team for the Asian Championships in Kuwait in January 2026, and a nomination for the UNSW Male Athlete of the Year Award. Lucas said he was introduced to handball through his French parents after they moved to Australia in 2004, and joked that he realised early he was very tall for the sport. He added that he loves being a captain and a leader, and has ambitions toward Brisbane 2032.

Lucy Coleman was then celebrated for an outstanding rowing career at both domestic and international level. From 2020 to 2023, Lucy was part of the Rowing Australia Women’s National Training Centre and represented the Australian Rowing Team from 2021 to 2023. During that period she competed at three World Rowing Cups and two World Rowing Championships, with highlights including silver at the 2022 World Rowing Cup II in Poland and an Australian record in the lightweight women’s double scull in 2023. Domestically, she claimed the 2023 Australian Rowing Championships national title in the Interstate Regatta Victoria Cup representing New South Wales and also medalled in the lightweight women’s single scull and open weight women’s double scull. Asked about the Australian record, Lucy spoke about racing at Penrith in perfect conditions where everything “lined up perfectly,” before joking that she wished the Vice-Chancellor would pop down to the rowing club to offer some advice.

Following the dinner break, Madeline Hendrie was the first to be recognised. The AFLW athlete has shown sustained resilience and growth across her football career, beginning as a train-on player with GWS and the Sydney Swans before being drafted by Carlton at pick No. 9 in the 2023 AFLW Supplementary Draft. Since then, she has secured contract extensions through to the end of 2027, won the Carlton Coaches Award in 2025, finished fourth in the club’s Best and Fairest and helped Carlton to its first AFLW preliminary final appearance in five years. Her 2024 season was interrupted by a broken foot, though she remained active in the professional environment and completed the NAB Beyond the Field Cadetship. Alongside football, Madeline holds a permanent part-time role at NAB as a Strategy Analyst. Speaking on stage, she said it has been “amazing” to work with NAB, not only as a major sponsor but also in a role that has allowed her to contribute within strategy while continuing her football career.

Another AFLW player followed in Montana Ham, who has already established herself as one of the competition’s brightest young players. Selected with pick No. 1 in the 2022 AFLW National Draft by the Sydney Swans, Montana made an immediate impression in her debut season, earning a Round 4 Rising Star nomination, finishing runner-up in the club’s best and fairest and taking out the Players’ Player Award. Since then, she has reached her 25-game milestone, won the Sydney Swans Goal of the Year Award in 2025 and been named to the club’s leadership group. In 2024, she was also recognised with the UNSW Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award. Montana spoke about how fortunate she feels to have moved from her family home in Melbourne to “such a great club,” adding that the support of UNSW, a partner of the Sydney Swans, along the way has been an added bonus.

Osama Almabrouk was recognised next for his consistent performances in taekwondo at state, national and international level. A member of the Australian National Team in the -74kg division, Osama has represented Australia at the World University Games and been selected as a Grand Prix Challenge candidate and to Team B for the World Championships. He finished fifth at the 2024 Australian Open, ninth at the 2025 Oceania President’s Cup and Korea Open, and is a multiple-time state champion across the -68kg and -74kg divisions. He has also dominated at university level, winning the UniNationals -74kg title from 2021 to 2024, while also claiming multiple South Coast Open titles. Beyond competition, Osama has served as a National Performance Pathway representative and NSW Team Leader, as well as a Senior Sparring Coach at UNSW Taekwondo. Speaking about the Performance Pathways Program, he said the best part has been being able to “give back to something that gave so much to me.”

Sid Harvey followed after a whirlwind period in rugby. One of the most promising young talents in Australian rugby, Sid played a central role in Eastern Suburbs’ 2024 First Colts premiership, set a club record with 337 points in a season and earned Grand Final MVP honours. He was then selected in the NSW Waratahs Under 19s squad before representing Australia Sevens during the 2024–25 World Rugby Sevens Series. In 2025, he played for the Junior Wallabies, finishing second at the U20 Rugby Championship and fifth at the World Championships, where he was named in the Team of the Tournament. He also featured in the Eastern Suburbs First Grade Shute Shield Grand Final, was selected for the NSW Waratahs Super Rugby AU squad and the Australian A squad before injury ruled him out. In 2026, he was confirmed as a fully contracted member of the NSW Waratahs Men’s squad. Asked about calling his mum after learning he would debut for the Waratahs, Sid described it as “the most perfect moment,” with 20 years of sacrifice from his parents building to that point.

Sienna Stephens then took to the stage to be honoured for her achievements in épée. Across the 2024–25 season, Sienna has produced strong results at home and abroad, including fifth individually and team gold at AFC #1 Perth, 11th individually at AFC #2, 12th at the Contre de Sixte in Switzerland, bronze individually and team gold at the 2025 Australian Junior Championships, and silver medals at both the senior and junior state championships. She has also been selected to represent Australia at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Summer World University Games in both individual and team women’s épée. At university level, she placed seventh individually and won team silver at the 2025 UniSport Nationals. Speaking about the international step-up, Sienna said representing both UNSW and Australia brings heightened pressure, particularly because overseas opponents are far less familiar than the training partners and regular domestic competitors athletes come to know so well.

Olympian Timothy Putt was next to be recognised for his achievements in water polo. A centre back with more than 110 international caps, Tim made his Olympic debut for the Australian Sharks at Tokyo 2020 and has represented Australia at multiple World Championships from 2022 to 2025, while medalling at major FINA World League and World Cup events. At club level, he has been a key part of UNSW Wests Magpies AWL premiership-winning sides in 2022 and 2025, helping cement the club’s status as the most successful men’s AWL team in the country. He also gives back through coaching in the club’s junior development programs. Tim joked that he is used to being underwater, where no one can see his embarrassed smile while hearing his achievements read out, and reflected on the unusual experience of competing at the Tokyo Olympics during Covid, joking that the only person there was “a cleaner cleaning up nothing.” He also spoke about how important it is to give back to the sport through junior development.

Vanessa Lam then received her Blue after a strong run of achievements across junior and senior World Taekwondo competition. In 2025, competing in the senior category, Vanessa represented Australia at the FISU World University Games in Germany, where she placed eighth in the team event, and also won gold in the individual division and first place in pairs at the 2025 UniSport Nationals. In 2024, she represented Australia at the World Poomsae Championships in Hong Kong in the team event, placed first in teams and eighth individually at the Poomsae World Championships selections, won gold in the team event at the Presidents Cup, and medalled across multiple events at the NSW State Championships. Asked what she was most proud of, Vanessa said the World University Games stood out, particularly the team’s wins over Germany and New Zealand, though she noted they were ultimately impacted by injury. She added that what she loves most about the sport is its community and the friendships that come with it.

The final Blue recipient of the night was Zeno Radnoti. An elite sabre fencer ranked among Australia’s best in both Under 20 and Open competition, Zeno is currently ranked third nationally in U20 Men’s Sabre and fifth in the Open division, with season-high rankings of second and third respectively. His domestic achievements include winning an Open National Competition in Melbourne, claiming the NSW U20 State Championship and finishing on the podium in four of five Open National Competitions last season. Internationally, he has represented Australia at the Junior World Championships for the past three years, at the Junior Asian Championships, won Commonwealth Junior gold in the team event, and was selected for the World Universiade in Germany. Standing a little further from the microphone than most, Zeno joked that he was sorry, but he is “used to standing at distance.” He echoed Sienna’s point that international fencing is a completely different challenge because athletes must figure out entirely new opponents, adding that while he may not be the fastest, he prides himself on being one of the more strategic. He also likened sabre to fighting with lightsabers in Star Wars and mentioned he is also working on a new Mars rover.

Following the presentation of the Blues, the formal toast to the recipients was delivered by 2017 Mogul Skiing Blue and two-time Olympian Taylah O’Neill. Reflecting on her own time balancing elite sport and study at UNSW, Taylah said, “Those small things truly add up and make a world of difference,” referring to the flexibility and support that allowed her to pursue both skiing and her degree. She also reminded recipients that “achievements like these are never done alone,” acknowledging the role of staff, coaches, families and support networks behind every athlete.

Responding on behalf of the current Blues recipients, Kaitryel Pelaez delivered the toast response and spoke thoughtfully about what the award represents. She said, “Receiving a UNSW Blues Award represents far more than individual recognition. It reflects the discipline, resilience and passion we have each invested in our sports, but also the extraordinary support we receive here at UNSW.” Reflecting on her own journey from officiating at Uni Nationals as a Year 12 student to now preparing to represent UNSW in 3x3 basketball, she said, “Life really does come full circle when one pursues their goals.”

As the night drew to a close, recipients, families, supporters and staff remained in the Council Chambers sharing stories, taking photos and reflecting on the work that had brought each athlete to this point.

A special thank you goes to Elite Athlete Program Manager Helen Bryson, who has supported all of these student-athletes from the beginning of their degrees through to graduation, helping create the sense of family that sits at the heart of this community. It is not an easy job to manage over 300 elite athletes every year, and although you have help in Elite Athlete Program Officer Hayley Stanford, you will always be a big part of these athletes journeys. 

The Vice-Chancellor’s Blues Awards once again highlighted the strength of student-athlete life at UNSW, and attention now turns to the Sports Awards later in the year, where more members of this exceptional sporting community will be recognised for their achievements across both sport and academia.

VICE-CHANCELLOR'S BLUES AWARDS FULL GALLERY