Southland's athletic achievers to be recognised through new awards
“I am a firm believer in recognising the great achievers in our sports in a more public way than we have in the past."
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By Lance Smith
Athletics Southland has had plenty achievers over the years, although there is a feeling that some have gone unrecognised or slipped under the radar.
On Friday that is about to change.
Athletics Southland have introduced the Annual Achievement Awards which give recognition to top performances over the 12 months up to March 2024.
Athletics Southand chairperson Virginia Baker said the difficulty was in narrowing athletes and performances down to just three finalists in each category considering the depth of talent and accomplishments delivered from Southland athletes.
The idea of the new Annual Achievement Awards came from Baker.
“I am a firm believer in recognising the great achievers in our sports in a more public way than we have in the past,” she said
“I took the idea to the Athletics Southland board who fully endorsed it. I wanted to have an evening where we could come together and recognise the achievements of our many talented athletes here in Southland including Masters.”
“Having a high achiever as guest speaker adds to the occasion, and we are fortunate NZ javelin record holder and Paris Olympian Tori Peters agreed to join us in our celebration of excellence.”
Baker hopes the awards will become an ongoing tradition for Athletics Southland and it can be expanded to include service and life memberships.
Winners in each category will be revealed Friday at the Awards Evening.
The finalists can be found below.
AWARD FINALISTS
Swanson Trophy Jumps Athlete of the Year:
Warren Green (Masters Men) - Australian and NZ Masters Champs medallist.
Ollie Davis (MU18) – Winner NZSS and NZ Track & Field Championship and best long jump mark of the year nationally.
Rebecca Petersen (SW) – Best Southland triple jump and long jump performances for year and New Zealand representative at Pacific Games.
Rodney Hogg Memorial Cup Throws Athlete of the Year:
Carlie Scherp (WU18) - NZ championships two times medallist.
Warren Green (Masters men) – Australia and NZ Masters Championships medals.
Lester Laughton (Masters men) – Australia and NZ Masters Championships medals in hammer, discus, throws pent and weight throw.
Baker Trophy for Sprint Athlete of the Year:
Gail Kirkman (Masters women) – NZ Masters Champs W70 golds for 60m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 200m hurdles.
Connor Gilliland (MU18) – NZ Champs bronze 110m hurdles.
Cody Lawson (MU18) - Outstanding results at Australia, NZ and NZSS championships, including winning 200m at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships.
Tudor Knight Trophy Combined Event Athlete of the Year:
Abby O’Boyle (WU16) – 1st South Island heptathlon.
Warren Green (Masters Men) – third Australian Masters Champs pentathlon and first NZ Champs.
Connor Gilliland (MU18) - First NZ Combined Champs decathlon
Lesley Cantwell Memorial Cup Southland Distance Athlete of the Year:
James McLeay (MU18) - NZ U20 Mile Champion with high placings in national and schools crosscountry that earned selection to NZ team.
Dwight Grieve (Masters Men) – World Trail Championships representative, winner of NZ short course trail champs, 2nd NZ masters road champs. Also to note Coast to Coast 2-day team 1 st and Kepler Challenge 5th overall and 1st Master Home.
Debbie Telfer (Masters Women) – 1 st NZ Cross Country M65 with a course record
Master’s Athlete of the Year:
Dwight Grieve
Gail Kirkman - (as well as sprint achievements, broke NZ W70 records for HJ and 800.)
Warren Green