Sporting Legends

Norman Hardie

BE 1948

Described by Sir Edmund Hillary as "a skilled mountaineer and a formidable explorer...renowned for his considerable determination and refusal to accept defeat", Norman Hardie was a pioneer of the New Zealand mountaineering scene. A member of the first team to climb Kangchenjunga in 1955, the third-highest mountain in the world and an arguably more challenging climb than Everest, Norman made numerous first ascents both in New Zealand and the Himalayas. He has been to Antarctica on three occasions, as an instructor, surveyor, and as leader of Scott Base, and was a director of Hillary’s Himalayan Trust.

Photo credit: ©Antarctica New Zealand Pictorial Collection, 1984

Gilbert Enoka ONZM

Teacher’s College Diploma 1977, BSc 1980, BA (Hons) 1996

Internationally renowned for his 23-year career with the All Blacks, Gilbert Enoka has a long history of success as a mental skills coach with New Zealand’s corporate and sporting elite. His reputation and expertise have seen him work with the All Blacks, Silver Ferns, Black Caps, Crusaders, and a significant number of international performers excelling on the world stage.  Furthermore, he has spent 12 years acting as general manager for Harcourts International, New Zealand’s largest real estate firm. Before his current position in Management, Gilbert helped to coach and support the All Blacks for 15 years as their Mental Skills Coach, seeing the team win two rugby world cups, one Laureus Award, 20 Bledisloe Cups, three Grand Slams, eight Tri-Nations, and eight rugby championships.

Anna Lawrence

DipT 1994, BEd 1995

From attending the Olympics not once, but thrice for hockey, (twice as a player and once as an athlete mentor) working her way up to a trans-Tasman leadership role at Lion Australia, founding successful online marketing business BOMA, and holding the GM Commercial role at New Zealand Cricket, Anna Lawrence is a true champion achiever. Passionate about sport, business and family she believes options are essential for even the most dedicated young athletes. “You could have a career-ending injury at 20 or retire at 29. Even if you're training full-time, make time to network or study. Be curious about the world and give yourself space to shape what your future might be.”

Dr Selwyn Maister QSM

BSc 1967, MSc 1969

First debuting for New Zealand in 1965, Selwyn Maister successfully balanced his love of hockey and academia while studying both at UC and Oxford University. Competing in four successive Olympic Games as a part of the New Zealand Men’s Olympic Hockey Team from 1969-1980, Selwyn was a member of the gold medal winning team in the 1976 Olympics and captained the team from 1973-1974. He also attended the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games as Assistant Coach of the NZ Women’s Hockey team. In 2012 he was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for services to Hockey, and in 2014 was appointed President of Paralympics New Zealand and Board Chair.

Bruce Ullrich OBE

BCom 1965

Bruce Ullrich is a fierce champion of New Zealand’s interest in business and sport. A former partner and company director in international accounting and consultancy firms, his expertise lies within trade and investment relationships between NZ and the world, where he has received multiple honours over the past 20 years. Best known for his role as Vice Chairman of the Organising Committee of the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games, Bruce also held the role of Chef de Mission to three Olympic and Commonwealth Games teams and has been an avid bidder in trying to bring the Winter Olympics to New Zealand. Bruce was awarded an Order of the British Empire for his services to New Zealand.

Anna Richards MNZM

BA 1989, LLB 1989 

Anna Richards played for the Black Ferns for 20 years; however, it wasn’t until studying at the University of Canterbury that her rugby journey began. After missing out on selection for the Canterbury netball team, Anna found herself in a pair of borrowed boots running around with the UC Women’s Rugby team and never looked back. She has since added four Women’s Rugby World Cup titles and multiple sevens championships to her name. Appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to women’s rugby in 2005, Anna was in the first group of six women to be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014.

Anna Simcic

BA 1998

After missing out on selection for the Seoul Olympics by 0.2 seconds while still in high school, Anna became determined to find success in swimming. Within only six years, she had represented Aotearoa at two Olympic Games and won two gold and three silver medals at the Pan Pacific Championships and Commonwealth Games. Throughout her swimming career, Anna was consistently ranked within the top 10 in the world and set a world short course record in 1992 for the 200m backstroke. Since retiring from the sport, Anna has put her sporting experience to good use, advising other athletes on planning and transitioning to life after competing in high-performance sport.

Tayla Bruce

BTchLn 2017 

It was through watching the 2008 World Bowls Championship in Christchurch that 13-year-old Tayla Bruce was inspired to take up Lawn Bowls. Hooked by the sport ever since, she now finds herself juggling primary school teaching with representing her country. Named Bowls New Zealand’s 2022 Female Player of the Year, Tayla earned her title by adding two bronze medals at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (with the New Zealand Women's Triples and Fours teams respectively) and also by winning gold in the prestigious World Singles Champion of Champions tournament at the end of 2022, her biggest highlight and bowls’ achievement to date.