Member Association News: AUG Kick-off
September 30th, 2008
The 2008 Australian University Games (AUG), 28 Sept – 3 Oct, were successfully launched at Melbourne Town Hall, with dignitaries and over 1,000 competing students giving a rousing reception to performers and guest speakers alike. Spurred on by an outstanding opening break-dance display from a group of young performers, the boisterous crowd was kept entertained and involved from the onset. The dance routine was followed by an official welcoming to the Games by members of the Wurundjeri tribe, who performed a traditional creation dance in keeping with tribal and cultural traditions. Jarrod from Nova 100.3FM (the official Media Partner of the Games) was the Master of Ceremonies and kept the crowd involved throughout, inspiring competing war chants from Universities to ring across the arena (the most vocal being competitors from Edith Cowan University), and in what is probably a first for the Town Hall, a Mexican wave was started and spread around the Main Hall to vocal cheering and clapping. Lord Mayor John So and Monash University Vice Chancellor Professor Richard Larkins kept up the formal side of proceedings, with official welcomes to all students from the forty-two competing Universities, followed by a parade by the team-captains from each University, which saw some of the biggest cheers from the crowd all evening. From the Australian College of Physical Education to the University of Papua New Guinea, they strode to the front, proudly holding signs for their respective Universities. Vice-chancellor Larkins urged competitors to enjoy their time at the Games and to keep up the friendly, competitive spirit apparent at past Games. “Compete hard, enjoy your time, have fun, and welcome to Melbourne,” said the Professor. Official AUG patrons, Olympic swimmer Brooke Hanson, and superstar St. Kilda midfielder Luke Ball then graced the stage, reading the Athlete’s Oath and Official’s Oath respectively. Brooke, a former competitor in swimming and water polo for Deakin University at the 1998 and 1999 Games and a competitor in the 1999 Universiade is an official patron for the Games and expressed the enjoyment she remembers through her own participation. “The Games presented me with both team and individual opportunities, and were a great experience. My results show all competitors that you can go on to bigger and better things, using these Games as a launching pad.” St. Kilda star Luke Ball, a part-time Commerce student at Monash University, has some experience of the Games through his brother, a participant in the Newcastle games of 2004. Luke was more then happy to be involved with the Games, once realizing the extent of the operation. “It’s a great honour to be involved, I had no idea of the size of the Games before I was asked to be a patron, but seeing the scope of the event made me realise the importance the Games hold.” Vice-chancellor Larkins returned to the stage after the reading of the oaths, to officially open the Games, sounding out a long blast from an air-horn, prompting wild cheers from those in attendance. With 7,000 participants and 28 sports held across 31 venues, the AUG are Australia’s largest annual multi-sport event, and the event is returning to Melbourne after 10 years. The games are also used by many athletes as a launching pad to go onto greater, international events. An example of this is the fact that from the Australian Olympic team in 2008, 201 athletes had direct links to experience in the AUG, highlighting just how broad an event the Games are every year.
Richard Larkins, John So, Brooke Hanson & Luke Ball
Brooke Hanson sounding the horn to signal the opening of the Games
Dignitaries getting involved in the Mexican Wave
