Members of the Macarthur Triathlon Club and Mt Annan Swimming Club have shared the Wests Sports Council awards for April.
Michael Harding, of Macarthur Triathlon Club, took out the senior sportsperson award, while fellow club member Sophie Eagles was named junior sportsperson of the month.
Mt Annan Swimming Club’s elite competition squad was named sports team for April, while one of their young swimmers, Jacob Simpson received the youth sportsperson award.
Ella-Kate Hussein, of Macarthur Triathlon Club, won the encouragement of sports award for April.
The only April honour that did not go to either club was the Spirit of Sports Award, which went to Mark Brown from Group 6 Referees.
Senior Sportsperson Award: Michael Harding, of Macarthur Triathlon Club recently set a 14 minute personal best, finishing in a top 10 position in the 2018 Ironman Australia.
He also competed in the Triathlon NSW Club Championship for the 50-54 age group category where he placed 10th.
Junior Sportsperson Award: Sophie Eagles, 11, of Macarthur Triathlon Club, recently participated in the Triathlon NSW Club Championship, placing sixth overall.
Sophie finished third in Macarthur Triathlon Championship 12-12 year girls race.
Youth Sportsperson Award: Over the past 12 months, Jacob Simpson, 14, of Mt Annan Swimming Club, has achieved some impressive results in the pool.
He qualified for the 2018 Georgina Hope Foundation Australian age championships in five events, and at the nationals Jacob swam five personal best (PB) times.
Sports Team Award: Mt Annan swimming team recently attended an intensive swimming camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Thredbo and Canberra, which included activities such as eight hours of pool sessions, six hour hike, four hours of lectures and team building games, plus a personal goal setting program.
The personal challenge, a favourite of many team members, was a six-hour hike to the highest peak in Australia, the summit of Mt Kosciusko.
The camp, which involved months of planning and preparation by a team of dedicated volunteers and coaches, was a big success.
Encouragement of Sports Award: Macarthur Triathlon Club’s Ella-Kate Hussein is making an impression in her first triathlon season as part of South West Sydney Academy of Sport.
Her recent placements include fourth in both the Australian schools triathlon festival open junior triathlon and the South Coast super sprint triathlon.
Spirit of Sports Award: Mark Brown joined the Group 6 Refereeing Group in 2006.
He enjoys refereeing, engaged in both the juniors on Saturdays and the seniors on Sundays, giving a lot back to the sport he is so passionate about.
Since 2013 he has also been on the referees coaching panel and he has a proactive approach to learning.
For the past four years he has refereed matches in the annual Masters over 35’s rugby league tournament in Queensland.
The annual Wests Sports Council award winners receive $500 in prizemoney at the sport award dinner held at Wests Leagues Leumeah every year.
For more information about the awards, please contact Karen Hansen on 4634 5630.
