Winter Sports dominates NSWIS Award finalists line up
Published Thu 24 Oct 2019
Winter sports has dominated the finalists named as part of the 2019 NSW Institute of Sport Awards.
The announcement of the finalists was headlined by Matt Graham’s nomination for the Musashi Male Athlete of the Year, who won the title in 2018 and will look to claim back to back honours at this year’s awards, as well as his nomination for the Powerade Personal Excellence Award.
Ben Tudhope, who this year has enjoyed his most successful season to date, has been named as a finalist in both the Musashi Male Athlete of the Year and Mizuno Junior Athlete of the Year categories, looking to add title honours to his long list of achievements during 2019.
Our female winter sport athletes have been recognised for their results over the last 12 months, with Melissa Perrine and Jakara Anthony both named as finalists for the Office of Sport Female Athlete of the Year.
Perrine, the 2019 Ski and Snowboard Australia Athlete of the Year, teamed up with her guide Bobbi Kelly to win a total of four medals at the 2019 Para Alpine World Championships, and added 12 medals to her tally on the Para Alpine World Cup Circuit.
Anthony won her maiden gold medal at the Lake Placid World Cup, in addition to three silver and one bronze through the World Cup season and will add her nomination in the Office of Sport Female Athlete of the Year category to her 2019 achievements.
Anthony’s coach Peter McNeil has been recognised as a finalist in the Southern Design Coach of the Year category after helping Anthony to her silver medal win at this year’s World Championships.
Winter Sport athletes have also been recognised for their ability to balance their sport with other commitments, with mogul skier James Matheson a finalist for The University of Sydney Academic Excellence award.
21 NSWIS winter sport athletes competed at para and able bodied world championship events this season, achieving the program finalist status in the Sydney Olympic Park Authority Program of the Year.
The annual awards will be held at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Thursday 14 November, where our winter sport athletes will join some of the best sporting talent from across New South Wales.
The awards recognise and honour the achievements of NSWIS athletes, coaches and sport programs across eight categories.