Sports Awards 2017
The sport of being a triathlete has taken prominence with triathlete, Harry Jones, winning the
2017 Coast 2 Coast Sports Port Macquarie Hastings Sportsperson of the Year.
Harry Jones achievements included coming 21st in the British Elite Triathlon Championships in
London, winning the Camden Haven ‘King of the Mountain’ three times and winning the 2017
Australian Age Group Championships.
Another triathlete, Bennett Powell, has again won the Laing + Simmons Port Macquarie
Sportsperson with a Disability. Bennett has an ongoing commitment to developing his skills in
being a triathlete, including coming second in his category at the Port Macquarie Ironman and
winning his category in the Western Sydney 70.3.
However, it was golf that struck a ‘hole in one’ with young Oliver Payne being awarded the
Wayne Richards Sporting Scholarship for his achievements in the golfing arena.
Female cricketer, Hannah Faux was also rewarded with catching up the runner-up award for the
Wayne Richards Sporting Scholarship.
Another big winner was netball with Hastings Valley Netball receiving two team awards and one
for their exceptional team volunteer, Natalie Jordan.
With sporting heroes being deeply embedded in Aussie culture, the Hastings was no different in
offering close to sixty online nominations for achievements from 1 October 2016 to 30 September
2017.
Organising Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise President, Jenny Sinclair, said “the judges really
had an exceptionally difficult task selecting from the wide range of nominations.
“I don’t envy their job, but with their extensive experience in the sporting industry, I know their
decision would have taken a lot of deliberation.
“Congratulations has to be given to both winners and nominees for exceptional commitment to
their sport.
“With $7,000 in prizes awarded to local athletes, the recognition and prize money goes a little
way to help them achieve their sporting dreams, and that is our aim with these awards.”
The Port Macquarie Hastings Mayor’s Sporting Fund again joined forces in 2017 with the Rotary
Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise to deliver the ultimate sports awards presentation breakfast at
Port Panthers on Monday, November 13.
For more information, please contact Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise Sports Awards Coordinator,
Di Hicks on 0448 496 972.
The Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise launched the Port Macquarie Hastings Sports Awards
17 years ago to encourage participation in sport by young people across the region and
provide some financial support to local champions to help them achieve their sporting goals. For
more information, please see www.sunrise-rotary.org.au/sportsawards
The Wayne Richards Scholarship was launched in 2004 by the Mayor’s Sporting Fund Sub-
Committee as a tribute to former Mayor Wayne Richards who established the Mayor’s Sporting
Fund in 1999 and was a passionate supporter of youth and sport in the Port Macquarie-Hastings
region.
2017 Port Macquarie Hastings Sportspersons of the Year include:
Coast 2 Coast Sports Sportsperson of the Year – Harry Jones (triathlon)
Wayne Richards Sporting Scholarship: Oliver Payne (golf)
Runner-up: Hannah Faux (dressage)
Patterson Real Estate Junior Team of the Year: Hastings Valley Netball 17 years Representative
Team
Donovan Oates Hannaford Senior Team of the Year: Hastings Valley Netball Association Open
Representative Team
Hastings Physiotherapy Sporting Volunteer of the Year: Natalie Jordan (netball)
Laing + Simmons Port Macquarie Sportsperson with a Disability: Bennett Powell (triathlon)
John Patrick Isuzu Ute Junior Sportsperson of the Year – Primary School: Dylan De Domizio
(athletics)
Donovan Oates Hannaford Junior Sportsperson of the Year – High School: Bradley Patterson
(hockey)
Greenmeadows Health Centre – Awards for Sporting Excellence: Hannah Faux (cricket) and
Shania Madden (dressage)
Big thanks to our sponsors and generous raffle prize contributors.
