NSW Sport Awards: Five NSW Members Named finalists

24 October 2024

NSW Sport Awards: Five NSW Members Named finalists

Five NSW athletes and coaches have today been named finalists in the prestigious 2024 NSW Sport NSW Awards.

The NSW members named were Olympic silver medallist Jessica Hull, Paralympic Games bronze medallist Mali Lovell, coach Simon Hill, masters world champion Janelle Delaney and World junior champion Delta Amidzovski. In an Olympic and Paralympic year, five NSW finalists is an outstanding achievement. The five are in esteemed company with other finalists including NRL champion coach Ivan Cleary and dual Olympic champion Jess Fox.

The 2024 NSW Sports Awards are NSW’s highest sports honours, and the 12 category winners will be revealed at the prestigious NSW Champions of Sport Ceremony at The Star Event Centre on Monday 25th November 2024. Tickets to the Champions of Sport Ceremony are available to the public by visiting https://www.sportnsw.com.au/events/249722

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Named in one of the most competitive categories, Athlete of the Year, is Jessica Hull narrowly beat Nicola Olyslagers for our nomination.

For Hull, she moved to a new level in 2024. The crowning achievement was winning a silver medal in the women's 1500m at the Olympic Games - Australia's first middle-distance medal in 56 years (since 1968), but she also set a 2000 metre world record – the first Aussie for 18 years to set a world record (since 2006 Nathan Deakes 50km Walk).

Importantly Hull was not just out of sight overseas, but supported the domestic athletics scene, winning the National 3000m at the Sydney Track Classic and Australian 1500m title in Adelaide.

We know how competitive athletics is globally with 200 nations at the track and field competition in Paris, but in this very competitive category, Hull faces competition from dual Olympic paddler Jess Fox, BMX gold medallist Saya Sakakibara, Australian cricketer Ashleigh Gardner and Olympic Equestrian silver medallist Chris Burton.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jessica Hull’s coach, Simon Hull is named a finalist in the coach of the year category amongst a quality line-up of six great coaches. Simon coached Jess throughout her junior career until she left Australia for college in America in her late teens. After Jess departed America she has returned to the guidance of her Dad in Australia, and has over the last few years broken every Australian middle-distance record.

Some other finalists alongside Simon are a previous winner in this category and coach to her gold medal winning daughters Jess and Noemie Fox, Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi; Penrith’s NRL winning Rugby League coach Ivan Cleary, and rising star of coaching Bec Rippon who took the women’s Olympic water polo team to silver in Paris.

YOUNG ATHLETE OF THE YEAR WITH A DISABILITY

NSW teenager, Mali Lovell is for the second year running a finalist in the young athlete of the year with a disability category. During the year Lovell competed in her second and third global senior championships winning bronze in both the T36 200m at the Paris Paralympics and World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe. Her medal in Paris was the first ever Australian to win a medal in this event/classification.

Hopes are high for Lovell in this category up against Paralympic swimming relay silver medallists Chloe Osborn, Boccia Paralympic Games silver medallists Jamieson Leeson and winter Paralympian Ivy Walker.

MASTERS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

The winner of this award in 2022, Masters world champion Janelle Delaney has again been named a finalist in the masters athlete of the year category. In 2022 she won the 50-years world 400m title but two years on, and against younger competition, she was able to defend her 400m title and add the 200m. She also joined an Australian team which won the 4x400m relay in world record time.

There is tough competition in 2024 for Delaney including former Brazilian judoka Diego Barreto, World Rowing Masters Regatta Gold medalist in the men's K-M John James, multi world record breaking masters swimmer Clary Munns, Fencer Abigail Nutt and Surf Life saver Paul Lemmon.

YOUNG ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

For the second consecutive year, Delta Amidzovski, is named a finalist in the young athlete of the year. Competing against 134 countries at the World U20 Championships she won the long jump and claimed a bronze in the 100m hurdles. Her long jump medal was the first Australian junior to win a medal in this event in the 38-year history of this event.

But for Delta competition is fierce in this category including Olympic swimming gold medallist Olivia Wunsch, Olympic diving finalist Ellie Cole, Young Matilda and Sydney FC player Indiana Dos Santos, 2024 Youth Surf Race world champion Brayden Woodford and ISA Junior World Surfing champion Dane Henry.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Paralympic Games bronze medallist Mali Lovell