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Sport

28 October, 2023

Sports stars recognised

LOCAL sports stars were among those toasted for their continued achievements during an award ceremony last Friday.

By Staff Writer

CT Dan Tehan, Wannon Zone Pony Club D Grade Show Jumping Team, Poppy Myers and Eve Covey
CT Dan Tehan, Wannon Zone Pony Club D Grade Show Jumping Team, Poppy Myers and Eve Covey

Member for Wannon Dan Tehan hosted the 2023 Wannon Sport and Volunteer Awards in Mortlake last Friday. 

“The Wannon Sport and Volunteer Awards provides the opportunity for not only me but the community to express its congratulations to our recipients,” Mr Tehan he said. 

Congratulations to the following award recipients:

Wannon Zone Pony Club (D Grade Showjumping team). 

The team consists of Mia Rose, Bethany Dyson, Zoe Addinsall and Olvier Homer. 

They travelled to Melbourne to compete in the Pony Club Victoria State Show Jumping Championships and finished third overall. 

Warrnambool Lawn Tennis Club

This club was acknowledged for its innovative approach to growing its volunteer base. 

The club has been in existence for 70 years and, like many other community sporting clubs, has relied on the dedication and passion of a handful of people to keep the club running. 

The committee undertook a Club Health Check, with a particular focus on identifying clear volunteer roles for the successful management of the club.

It now has 30 volunteer positions and 24 filled for the upcoming season, including three young volunteers playing a role remotely from Melbourne. 

Sophie Burrows (running) 

Although originally a long-distance runner, Sophie now competes across multiple distances from 100m to 800m. 

Her on-track success culminated in winning the 2022-23 Victorian Athletic League under 14 Junior of the Year award. 

She also won 14 races at the Maryborough and Warrnambool gifts last season and ticked off a major goal when she made the Stawell Gift under 14 100m final. 

She also won the little athletics race at Stawell and qualified for the School Sport Victoria cross-country competition. 

Andrew Lougheed (football umpire) 

Andrew recently umpired his 400th game with the Warrnambool and District Football Umpires Association. 

This was made even more memorable with Andrew’s son Michael umpiring that game from the boundary. 

He began his career in the 1980s and has also umpired for the Eastern Football League and Geelong Umpires. 

Alice Cann (netball and cricket) 

Alice won the Warrnambool and District league’s 17 and under best and fairest award after a stand-out season with Russell Creek, polling 30 votes.

She also took out Warrnambool and District Cricket Association’s under 17 girls’ best and fairest in early March after a great season with Nestles. 

She now trains weekly in Hamilton with the Victorian Premier Cricket side Geelong and will focus on the state league this summer, keen to further her development in the Cats’ program. 

Richard Wearmouth (running) 

At this year’s Stawell Gift, Richard won the Legends Masters Services 300m final. 

Despite having suffered a heart attack 18 months earlier, Richard pushed through the pain to hold his rivals at bay on the final straight. 

He attributes the support of his partner Gill for his ability to keep racing into his 70s. 

Milly Illingworth (cricket). 

Milly recently earned a maiden state contract with Cricket Victoria. 

The right armed pace bowler, who has been clocked upwards of 120km/h, made her Victorian debut in February after representing Australia in the women’s under 19 Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa. 

She recorded match-best figures of 4-41 on debut against Western Australia. A year 12 student at Emmanuel College, Milly is juggling her studies and playing cricket for Essendon club, Maribyrnong Park. 

Christopher Flynn (Blackball) 

Chris has achieved both national and international success in the sport of blackball.

Earlier this year, he won gold in the Blackball Australia Pool Association national competition and was recently chosen to represent the country in Johannesburg at an international tournament. 

 Aaron Skinner (rowing) A member of the Nestles Rowing Club, Aaron attended the Virtus Games in France earlier this year where he won five medals, setting two Australian indoor rowing records. 

The Global Games are the world’s largest sports event for athletes with an intellectual impairment. 

With over 50 countries contesting 10 sports, Aaron was a stand-out for Australia. 

He won silver in the mixed 500m doubles, bronze in mixed singles, silver in mixed coxed fours, gold in mixed fours and silver in the 2000m indoor relay.

Aaron has competed in 16 consecutive national rowing championships which is a record for any Australian rower.

Stuart Pearson (water carrier) Stuart, of Allansford, was recognised for reaching a special club milestone of water carrier for Hampden League club the Cobden Bombers, reaching 350 games. 

Stuart joined the Bombers 15 years ago and runs water for the under 18s and reserves every week.

Emmanuel College year eight netball team 

This team won the School Sport Victoria championships last month. 

Coached by teacher Abby O’Brien the team went through the day undefeated.

According to their coach, this success was attributed to the dedication to training and a strong, tight-knit relationship between the players both on and off the court. 

This was the second title for the side, which also won the state championships in 2022.

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