Nicola McDermott, Jessica Hull and Rohan Browning claim top Athletics NSW Awards for 2020/21
Published Tue 24 Aug 2021
24 August 2021
Nicola McDermott, Jessica Hull and Rohan Browning claim top Athletics NSW Awards for 2020/21
Negotiating the challenges of the last season NSW’s athletes were extortionary and have been recognised in the 2020/21 Athletics NSW Awards.
With every track and field International Championship/Games cancelled in 2020 and Athletics Australia’s entire winter championship program abandoned - it was a tough year for the sport. Fortunately, competition largely resumed to normal levels over the 2020/21 summer and in the leadup to the Olympics and Paralympics.
The Athletics NSW Awards recognise performances in the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 (including the national championships). During this period a few athletes were able to individually compete overseas, while a number of others raced in college in America, but largely the competition was domestic.
Nicola McDermott, Rohan Browning and Jessica Hull shared the top awards for their outstanding performances. McDermott for her landmark two metres high jump national record, Hull for her Australian record breaking run through Europe and Rohan Browning for his series of achievements over 100m during summer.
- by a strong representation on the Olympic team, Sydney University returned to the top as the Champion Club of the Year, edging UTS Norths.
It would be no surprise Matt Horsnell is named coach of the year for his success coaching Nicola McDermott to 2.00 metres in the high jump.
There was long overdue recognition for Margaret Beardslee as Administrator of the Year. In the challenging year impacted by COVID-19 our officials have been exceptional, and we thank them all and recognise Murray Gaudin and David Morrow particularly, as officials of the year.
A compete list of award winners is below. Over the next couple of months we will document their achievements in articles on the Athletics NSW website.
David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Rohan Browning (courtesy of Fred Etter)
Athletics NSW 2020/21 Awards Winners
ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Richard Coombes Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Male Athlete - Rohan Browning (SYU)
R.H. North/ W. Wilson Award for Most Outstanding Female Athlete - Nicola McDermott (MIN)/Jessica Hull (BAN)
George Soper Memorial Award for Best Performance by a NSW Athlete at Australian Championships - Nicola McDermott (MIN)
Nick Winter Memorial Award for Aspiring Triple Jumper - Desleigh Owusu (UTN)
PERFORMANCE AWARDS
Sprints/Hurdles (Open) - Rohan Browning (SYU)
Distance/Road/XC (Open) - Jye Edwards (BAN)
Walks (Open) - Milly Broughton (RBH)
Jumps & Combined events (Open) - Nicola McDermott (MIN)
Throws (Open) - Dani Stevens (WES)
Most Outstanding Para Athlete (senior) - Sarah Walsh (SUT) & Rosemary Little (HAD)
Most Outstanding Para Athlete (junior) - Tamsin Colley (HDA) & Mali Lovell (UTN)
Most Outstanding Junior Female athlete - Jaylah Hancock-Cameron (BAN)
Most Outstanding Junior Male athlete - Rashid Kabba (WES)
Most Outstanding Masters Male athlete - Jay Stone (ARM)
Most Outstanding Masters Female athlete - Belinda Martin (ILL)
CLUB AWARDS
Champion Club of the Year - Sydney University
Metropolitan Club of the Year - UTS Norths
Country Club of the Year - Mingara
Club Development Award of the Year - Athletics Wollongong
Administrator of the Year - Iris Good (AEA)
WINTER AWARDS
Winter Trophy - n/a
G.P.S. Parkes Memorial Award for Male Distance Runner of the year - n/a
Doris Magee Award for Female Distance Runner of the year - n/a
Dorothy Dorsett Memorial Award for Male Distance Walker of the year - Carl Gibbons (WYO)
Doris Clark Award for Female Distance Walker of the year - n/a
SUMMER AWARDS
Treloar Shield - UTS Norths
Official of the Year - Murray Gaudin and David Morrow
Novice Official of the Year - Matthew Webster and Adam Mylonas
COACH AWARDS
International Coach of the Year - Matt Horsnell (MIN)
International/national Para-athletics Coach of the Year - Andrew Dawes (MQH)
Club Coach of the Year - Brett Mathison (WES)
Country Coach of the Year - Melissa Smith (nee Logan) (IBS)
Recreational Running Coach of the Year - Greta Truscott (RJR)
