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Geraldton Guardian Mid West Sports Awards celebrate achievements of local athletes

Reuben CarderGeraldton Guardian
The Geraldton Country Week women's cricket team with their award.
Camera IconThe Geraldton Country Week women's cricket team with their award. Credit: Geraldton Guardian

The Mid West celebrated the accomplishments of local athletes with the 49th edition of Australia’s longest-running regional sports awards on Friday night.

Mid West Sports Federation chair Mike Bowley said organisers of the 2021 Geraldton Guardian Mid West Sports Awards were happy with the nominations, while a shift to the Batavia Convention Centre and the selection of comedian Peter Rowsthorn, of Kath and Kim fame, as MC provided a lighthearted tone.

“We said we didn’t want to make it too serious, we wanted to have some fun because of what everyone’s been through,” Bowley said.

“It’s been tough going through COVID-19 and cyclone Seroja, and community and sport really have shone through.

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“Peter did a great job with his comedy and I thought ‘how good is this?’

“It was a really good night and I was really happy with it.”

Bowley said judges had a tough time narrowing down the winners because of the quality of nominations, reflected in the fact the junior category could not be separated between two eventual joint winners.

Mountain biker Marissa Drummond was named senior sports star of the year.

Track and field star Christi Bestry jointly won junior sports star of the year with two-time reigning winner Jed Hagan.

Jed was on the podium twice on the night for his work in Australian Rules football, also picking up the Mid West Academy of Sport athlete of the year award. The Geraldton women’s country week cricket team were named team of the year.

Softball trainer Rob Mundy won the coach of the year gong.

Geraldton Athletics Centre won the club of the year award.

Netball umpire Liz White won the official of the year award.

Sam Harris, a man living with autism, and Northampton Football Club won the ATLAS inclusion award.

Harris, the son of club president Damian, is a frequent fixture at Northampton games and a club talisman.

The Rams also won the Geraldton Guardian local achiever award, open to worthy nominees from any category.

Netball official Charlotte van Jaarsveldt was named administrator of the year for her work behind the scenes with the game.

Cricket was well represented in the nominations and awards.

Cricket official Gerard Marquis was the Brian “Putter” Smith Sports personality of the year.

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