The Victorian Sports Awards that recognise and celebrate the achievements of home-grown sporting heroes and legends has announced finalists that include:
Col Pearse – Global Wellness Tracking Young Athlete of the Year. Despite the pandemic he competed at the Australian Age Championships and the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, pictured.
Elizabeth Gosper OAM – Polytan Peter Norman Inclusion Award. The head coach of Inclusive Sports Training, a ‘triathlon club’ for people with an intellectual disability (children to adults and families) and responsible for ‘multiclass’ racing in triathlon.
Proud2Play and Disability Sport & Recreation Partnership – Polytan Peter Norman Inclusion Award. The primary focus of Proud2Play is LGBTIQ+ communities with Disability Sport and Recreation working with people living with a disability.
Ferntree Gully Tennis Club – Polytan Peter Norman Inclusion Award. Their strategic plan led to a sustainable initiative with Tennis Victoria and VicSport through its Innovation Lab program
Maurice Gleeson – Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria – Polytan Peter Norman Inclusion Award. Maurice has increased sport and recreation options for Victorians with vision loss from seven to 30 programs, including new children’s/youth programs and initiated and expanded virtual at-home programs during Covid.
Virtual Health and Wellness Programs – Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria – VicHealth Active Recreation Initiative of the Year Award. Developed a range of virtual health, wellness and social programs, using accessible technology, including Zoom/audio during Covid. Peer-to-peer mentoring was also introduced.
Ayden Shaw – GameDay Sports Administrator of the Year – Eunice Gill Award. Ayden secured funding and oversaw the development of workplans, recruitment and project management of a Working for Victoria project to support the rebuild of disability sport and recreation.
Jason Lees – Involve Masters Athlete of the Year Award. Jason played at his third Paralympic Games for the Australian Steelers in Tokyo and was recently appointed Australia A coach for wheelchair rugby.
Para-Sport Challenge – GippSport – Vicsport Sport Initiative of the Year Award. Facilitated two All Abilities Physical Activity Challenges in 2020 with 13 Specialist Schools and Disability Service providers participating.
The Governor’s Award Victorian Male Athlete of the Year – Frank Wilkes Award will be contested by Paralympic gold medalist Dylan Alcott, Australian Boomer and Olympic e medalist Jock Landale, NBL Rookie of the Year Josh Giddey and Formula 2 Champion Oscar Piastri.
The awards will be held at Centrepiece, Melbourne Park on June 15.
For tickets go to: vicsport.com.au or PH: 03 9698 8100.